A DRINK driver flipped his car after a crash on a major route before fleeing the scene as a pregnant woman lay injured at the roadside.

Sankey Way was closed after Daniel Simpson’s drunken and ‘erratic’ driving saw him overturn his Ford Fiesta, while another vehicle he collided with was sent careering off the carriageway and up an embankment.

Warrington Guardian:

And instead of rushing to the aid of the other motorist, who was pregnant, he scarpered in a bid to avoid being arrested.

But the 24-year-old was spared prison at Warrington Magistrates Court on Friday, April 23.

The court heard that the collision occurred at around 7pm on Friday, March 5, with the A57 westbound being shut while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Eyewitnesses reported that the defendant had been driving ‘erratically and at high speed’ before he crashed into a Volkswagen Polo.

Warrington Guardian:

Simpson, of Wroxham Road in Great Sankey, fled on foot afterwards – sparking a manhunt involving the police helicopter and dog units.

He was later traced at his girlfriend’s house around two miles away and was arrested after a breathalyser test found that he was more than twice the legal limit for alcohol.

Under interview, he admitted having consumed three to four pints of Fosters before getting behind the wheel in order to visit a friend’s house.

Two beer cans were found near to his car following the crash.

Warrington Guardian:

The pregnant motorist suffered cuts to her face and a bruised abdomen and spent the night in hospital, having been experiencing a high heart rate and high blood pressure.

But her unborn baby was unharmed.

Gary Heaven, defending Simpson, told the court that his client had lost his job as a result of the incident.

He added: “Thankfully, the lady wasn’t badly injured and the child was unharmed.

“Nevertheless, it’s a serious state of affairs and one he acknowledged from the off – he didn’t seek to justify himself, he pleaded guilty to everything and here he is today.

“He showed a complete lack of judgement, a complete absence of responsibility and a complete absence of maturity.”

Simpson – who has one previous convicted for battery in 2018 – admitted failing to stop after an accident, drink driving and driving without due care and attention during an earlier hearing.

He was handed a 14-week imprisonment, suspended for two years, and banned from driving for 22 months.

Sentencing, magistrates panel chairman Jeffrey Dodd said: “There’s no escaping that it was a very, very bad incident and the manner in which you acted showed a complete lack of judgement and a total absence of responsibility.

“There was a pregnant lady there at the side of the road and you ran away.

“We find the whole thing to be very serious indeed.

“If you commit any offences within the next two years, this could be revisited and this sentence could be imposed – so you’ve got to be squeaky clean for the next two years.

“This was bad, but life is a learning curve.

“You make mistakes, but as long as you learn from these mistakes you can move forward with your life.

“It was serious, and you’ve got to learn from it.”

Simpson was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid works and handed a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days.

Magistrates imposed court costs of £85 and a £128 victim surcharge.