Man jailed for 10 months for fatal crash

Paul Summers was killed in the crash in Burntwood, Staffordshire, in 2022

A man has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for causing the death of a man through careless driving.

Paul Summers, 32, was killed in the crash in Burntwood, Staffordshire, on 17 May 2022 while he was on his way to work.

Josh Sandhu was driving his Volkswagen Polo on Miners Way when he crashed into Mr Summers's Volkswagen Golf which was travelling in the opposite direction, causing it to spin off the carriageway.

Marks on the car suggested 28-year-old Sandhu, from Cannock, was on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash.

Paul Summers was a joker who was "loved by everybody", his family said

Analysis from the airbag control module fitted to the Polo also indicated the car was accelerating from 45mph to 55mph at the time of the crash.

A 20-year-old man, who was a front seat passenger in the Polo, suffered minor injuries from which he recovered.

Mr Summers, an Avanti West Coast rail worker from Cannock, died at the scene.

His family said he was a joker who called everyone he met "pal" and was loved by everybody.

They also said his daughter was his whole world.

Mr Summers worked for Avanti West Coast and was on his way to work when the crash happened

Sandhu was jailed for 10 months at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting causing death by careless driving.

He was also disqualified from driving for 29 months and ordered to take an extended retest.

Det Con Jim Addison said: "Sandhu’s poor driving that day caused the death of a man who was simply making his way to work.

"Paul’s family and friends have suffered tremendously as a result.

"This collision was avoidable if Sandhu had paid attention while he was driving."

Staffordshire Police said 45 people lost their lives in road crashes across the county in 2023.