A businessman who has been jailed for racing another motorist who died after losing control at 90 mph and crashing on the A38 in Somerset. David Knight had been driving his teenage son in his Audi Quattro car on a 60mph stretch of road near Wellington when he began racing with Elliot Sparks who was test driving a distinctive Toyota Chaser car.
Taunton Crown Court heard that eyewitnesses saw 46-year-old Knight's car speeding along the outside lane of the A 38 dual carriageway at White Ball Hill one evening in March 2021. One driver told the court: “His car was flying - 100mph plus and still accelerating."
He said 35-year-old Mr Sparks chased after the Audi and quickly caught up as the two cars were nose to tail adding: “They were racing." Mr Sparks, who was not wearing a seat belt, lost control of his car on a bend and skidded off the road and struck two trees, throwing from the car.
He died from serious head and chest wound. The court heard Knight returned to the scene to give him CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Another driver, Wendy Oliver, whose car was clipped by Mr Sparks, also tried to help at the scene.
She said Knight told her that he was not racing but trying to get out of the way of Mr Sparks' vehicle. The grandmother, who had her grandchild in her car, told Knight that was a lie and they had been racing, said prosecutor Peter Coombe.
Forensic tests showed that Mr Sparks, of West Buckland, Somerset, had been driving at between 89 and 100mph when he lost control after the mile-long pursuit. Knight, of Richards Close, Wellington, Somerset, admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He also has previous convictions for speeding and drink driving.
Knight told the court in a letter: “I just wish I had not put my foot down, he would not have tried to chase me and he would not have died. It was a stupid decision. I did not mean to harm anyone."
Judge Paul Cook jailed Knight for 29 months and banned from driving for 30 months after he is released from prison. The judge said: “You were racing each other on the A38. No sentence can place a value on his life," said the judge who added that his family had been left 'utterly desolate and devastated'.
