A14 road rage motorist who caused five-hour closure handed driving ban and suspended prison sentence
The A14 in Suffolk. Picture: JERRY TURNER - Credit: Archant
A motorist who was involved in a “road rage” incident which resulted in a carriageway of the A14 near Bury St Edmunds being closed for five hours has walked free from court after a judge decided not to send him straight to prison.
Kristopher Cambridge “lost his head” and braked so sharply that he almost came to a standstill after the driver of a Peugeot flashed his lights and pulled out in front of him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
As a result of the incident two lorries and a vehicle towing a trailer which were following Cambridge’s Astra and the Peugeot were damaged, but no-one was seriously injured, said Michael Crimp, prosecuting.
The incident happened at lunchtime on April 28 last year at the start of a Bank Holiday weekend and resulted in the carriageway being closed for five hours leading to significant tailbacks.
Cambridge, 36, of Birmingham, admitted dangerous driving and was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and banned from driving for two years.
He was also ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work in the community.
Sentencing him Judge John Devaux said it was “sheer luck” that no-one was seriously injured in the “road rage” incident.
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“Your driving resulted in significant damage to articulated vehicles and resulted in the closure of the A14 for five hours.”
He said Cambridge had told a probation officer that he had “lost his head” as a result of another driver flashing his lights and pulling out in front of him.
Judge Devaux said the dangerous driving was aggravated by the presence of his wife and 14-year-old daughter in the car.
Andrew Thompson, for Cambridge, said his client, who has no previous convictions, was remorseful and felt he had let himself and his family down.
He said Cambridge was in work and his employer would keep him on if he did not receive an immediate prison sentence.
On the day in question he was travelling to Ipswich to buy a car and was upset after the Peugeot driver tailgated him and then pulled in front of him causing him to brake heavily, causing his daughter to bump her head on the back of his seat.
Mr Thompson said Cambridge had become flustered and had accidentally gone into first gear which resulted in his car “kangarooing”.
