Man jailed for four car Newbury Park pile-up which killed grandfather

Andrew Lee, 28, careered into a green Citroen Picasso driven by Jacqueline Danilovic causing it to spin, flip on to its side and travel 30 metres.

Mrs Danilovic’s 69-year-old husband Dusan, a lollipop man at Crowlands school in Romford, died in the smash in Eastern Avenue.

Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly said the couple had set out from their home to drop Mr Chalmers off at Newbury Park station.

She told Snaresbrook Crown Court the couple and the defendant were travelling on opposite sides of the A12 when Lee headed towards the filter lane where Mrs Danilovic was waiting.

She said Lee was travelling with three passengers.

“Up to the point at which this defendant approached the vehicle of Mrs Danilovic, the evidence suggests that the defendant had been driving well in excess of the speed limit,” said Ms Farrelly.

The court heard the defendant “accelerated towards her” and as Mrs Danilovic was moving across the second of the three lanes, he “then began to swerve his vehicle to its left”.

The force of the impact with the Citreon Picasso caused its engine block and a tyre to come free from the vehicle.

Mr Danilovic was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mrs Danilovic and Mr Chalmers had multiple fractures.

Lee denied he had been speeding on the 40mph road, but an independent expert who analysed the scene found that Lee’s speed would have between 50mph to 70mph at the time of the collision.

Lee, of Osbourne Road, Hornchurch, admitted one count of causing death by dangerous driving and three of bodily harm by wilful misconduct against Mrs Danilovic, Mr Chalmers and Ms Linard.

He was jailed for three years and nine months for causing death with 12 months concurrent on each of the other charges.

Lee was also been disqualified from driving for the same amount of time and must take an extended driving test before he is allowed behind the wheel again.

Mr Danilovic leaves behind a wife, two daughters and a granddaughter.