Watch this horrifying video to see what happened when a “death wish” driver crashed into a taxi and killed a baby and two women.
Joe-Lewis Tyler, 34, drove a BMW 3 Series after being kicked out of a bar with a friend after drinking too much.
Because Tyler didn’t have insurance, he drove badly and quickly before hitting a taxi on the A44 in Worcester on Spetchley Road.
Tyler hit the car just after 3 p.m. Leo Painter, who is six years old, had just been picked up from school.
Courney Hemming, a 26-year-old taxi driver, and Claire Adkins, 39, who was taking Leo to his foster home, both died at the scene.
Even though Leo was taken to the hospital right away, he died the next day from his injuries.
Tyler was caught at the scene of the crime and tested. His blood alcohol level was up to 215 mg/100 ml, which is more than the legal limit of 80 mg/100 ml.
A normal test showed that he had 159ml, which is almost twice the legal limit.
High amounts of cocaine and cannabis were also found in his blood.
Tyler pleaded guilty to three counts of killing someone by driving dangerously. He had to stay in the hospital for three weeks after breaking his shin and having surgery on his spine.
Today, May 8, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Worcester Crown Court.
Tyler had been “racing himself,” according to Judge James Burbidge KC. He also said, “It’s hard to think of a worse piece of prolonged driving.”
Tyler also agreed to three counts of killing someone while driving without insurance and one count of seriously hurting someone by driving dangerously.
Tyler and his friend Miles Smith-Green were seen drinking in the West Midlands Tavern in Worcester, where Tyler won £100 on the fruit machines.
Before being kicked out of the pub for being too loud, they drank five pints of lager and four shots of Sambuca and Jagerbombs.
From there, they got into the BMW and drove quickly toward Badsey, Evesham, and Worcestershire.
Someone else said Tyler was going so fast that she was “fearful for her safety,” and someone else said Tyler almost hit her car at 100mph.
She called the scary close call a “near death experience.”
Someone else said Tyler was feeling “dead” and “driving like an idiot.”
The court heard that Mr. Smith-Green, who was riding with him, also got hurt badly, with a damaged spleen and a hip that was out of place.
Prosecutor Simon Phillips said Tyler “didn’t know how the accident happened” and denied driving recklessly.
Tyler had a six-year-old daughter, and his lawyer, Adam Western, said that Tyler knew “he was to blame for the devastation he caused.”
According to him, the only people who are victims are those who are killed or hurt and their families.
Leo’s 28-year-old mother Gemma had said months before he died that she was looking forward to having her son live with her again.
She said after the sentencing, “I’m glad this is over after five months of hard work. He got justice, but it will never be enough. It will never bring back my beautiful little boy.”
“I really hope Tyler can accept that he killed three people who were not guilty.”
Jason, Leo’s dad, said he was “angry and disgusted” by Tyler’s actions. He also said that losing his son had left him with “a massive void” in his life.
Officer-Chief Andy Wortley of West Mercia Police said, “Tyler’s selfish and careless actions on the afternoon of February 22 have left Leo, Courtney, and Claire’s family and friends forever heartbroken and the community shaken.”
“The length of the sentence he received is unprecedented and shows how much damage he caused when he got behind the wheel that day. I’m glad he will now spend a longer time in prison.”
“Even though Tyler pleaded guilty, he hasn’t shown any regret or taken responsibility for what he did.”
