Drug-driver seen swerving and lane-swapping on A45 before crash with mum and child in Northampton

A drug-driver whose reckless behaviour left a mother and her child seriously injured tried to claim he had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Jake Warren, 30, was seen swerving in and out of traffic, swapping lanes, and cutting in front of other vehicles as he tried to race to the front of a queue of traffic on the A45 in Northampton.

As the traffic lights turned to green, he sped off and overtook a car without indicating, crashing into a VX Golf driving towards him.

The female driver and her young passenger were both seriously injured in the collision on Rushmere Road on 30 October 2022.

Warren, formerly of Dunster Street, Northampton, helped the mother and child out of the car and was found lying on the ground when the emergency services arrived.

He told police he had fallen asleep at the wheel - something he later denied in court - but a roadside test found he had taken cocaine.

At his first court hearing, Warren pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and a drug-driving charge.

He was later sentenced to 28 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 38 months.

PC Nikki Hanwell, of Northamptonshire Police, said Warren had shown a "total disregard for other road users".

"I also hope Warren is aware that, as a result of his reckless use of the road, he was fortunate that his actions did not leave a family grieving for their loved one," she added.

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