Drift Disaster: Motorist Banned After Near-Miss Crash at Petrol Station
Risky Drift Ends in Crash
Wesley Leonard, 26, has been disqualified from driving after crashing his Nissan Silvia while drifting on a public road. The reckless stunt happened on 12 January along Hailsham Road, Polegate.
Leonard admitted drifting into a Co-Op forecourt, narrowly missing a petrol pump and another car. Moments later, he smashed into a sign, plummeted down a steep embankment, and crashed into a resident’s fence.
Close Call But No Injuries
Luckily, neither Leonard, his passenger, nor any other road users were hurt. Leonard claimed the car’s rear “went funny,” but CCTV told a different story. It clearly showed him deliberately drifting again inside the forecourt.
Drifting is a dangerous driving technique where the rear wheels lose traction while the driver maintains control through a corner.
Police Slap Down Dangerous Driving
Sergeant Richard Hobbs of the Roads Policing Unit said: “Drifting involves forcing your vehicle to do something it is not designed to do. Carrying out any kind of manoeuvre on a public road like this – where you are not in full control of your vehicle – is completely irresponsible, and puts yourself and other road users at serious risk.”
He added: “It’s fortunate that no one was hurt or even killed in this incident, and we will continue to deal robustly with those who put other people’s lives at risk on our roads.”
Harsh Penalties for Leonard
At Hastings Magistrates’ Court on 7 October, Leonard pled guilty to dangerous driving. He was banned from the roads for 18 months and must pass an extended driving test to get his licence back.
Leonard was also handed a community order to complete 240 hours of unpaid work over the next year. Plus, he faces a six-week electronic curfew from 9pm to 6am daily at his Rye home.
On top of that, he must pay £85 in court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.
