Drink driver jailed after causing crash that left cyclist having to have part of leg amputated

A drink driver, who caused a crash in the Peak District that led to a cyclist having to have part of his leg amputated, has been jailed for 20 months.
Levi LeutyLevi Leuty
Levi Leuty

Levi Leuty crashed his black BMW 116 on Sheffield Road, Rushup Edge, after losing control on a bend on October 3, 2017. The 24-year-old swerved onto the other side of the road, hit cyclist Chris Abell and rolled his car over.

Mr Abell, who was returning to his home in Stockport after cycling more than 100 miles in the Peak District, was taken to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield. A paramedic at the scene later told officers that the injuries Chris received were among the worst she had ever seen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His injuries were so serious that doctors had no option but to amputate part of his left leg.

Leuty was arrested at the scene and was breathalysed. He blew a reading of 70microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35microgrammes.

Leuty, of The Crescent, Bradwell, Hope Valley, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and to drink driving.

He was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was also banned from driving for four years and ten months and will have to take an extended re-test when his ban finishes. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.

Sergeant Scott Riley, from Derbyshire police’s collision investigation unit, said: “This accident could easily have been a double fatality.

“As it is, Chris has received serious life changing injuries and the life of the driver has been changed for ever. He will have to live with the actions that he took that night for the rest of his life.

“I would ask anyone to think, before they drink and drive, that you could be the cause of that accident and you would have to live with the consequences of causing an accident such as this one.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If you are involved in such an incident then we will speak to the people you have been drinking with, we will speak to the people who have served you behind the bar and we will do a full and thorough investigation to find out why the incident has occurred.

“In the majority of crashes in Derbyshire, that are either serious or fatal, involve either drink or drug driving. I would ask anyone who contemplates getting behind the wheel to think about the life changing impact your actions could have and choose a different course of action.”