A DRINK driver was more than twice the legal limit when he crashed head-on into a police officer driving home from work after his first shift in a new job, a court heard.
Robert Shapland-Hill was behind the wheel of a blue Mercedes Sprinter van on the A37 in Melbury Osmond on March 3 when he crashed into a black Volkswagen Transporter van and a red Ford Focus.
The collision, which happened at 11.15pm near to the Stockwood junction, caused the road to be shut for several hours as emergency services attended the scene.
Shapland-Hill, of Hillside Drive in Okehampton, Devon, pleaded guilty to two charges of driving a vehicle while drunk and for causing serious injury to Mark Anthony Bonici by dangerous driving.
Prosecuting, Siobhan Oxley, told Weymouth Magistrates Court the 52-year-old drove on the wrong side of the A37 as he hit one vehicle before crashing into Mr Bonici’s red Ford Focus.
She said: “He was drifting on the wrong side of the road. One motorist had to slow down.
“As he realised he was going to hit him, he swerved to avoid. A vehicle hit Mr Shapland-Hill and spun 180 degrees and ended on the grass verge.
“Despite the impact of the collision, the defendant continues to drive.
“Mr Bonici can see the defendant’s vehicle but is unable to work out if he had a defective headlight or was a motorcycle and seconds later, he is aware the defendant is pretty much in front of him and collides head on with the vehicle.
“The victim in the first collision states that Mr Bonici was unable to get out of the car and a member of the public assisted him at the scene.
“The defendant is seen by paramedics and he admits he had consumed alcohol and admitted to being driver of the Mercedes van.”
A blood test carried out on Shapland-Hill at Dorset County Hospital showed his blood alcohol level was 204 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
He was arrested and cooperated with police during his interview
The victim, Mark Anthony Bonici who is a police officer for Avon and Somerset Police, was travelling home following his first day as a police constable in a new role.
In a victim statement read out to the court, the police officer of 15 years recalled how the serious crash was 'extremely traumatic' and how he feared he was going to die.
He said: “I panicked and struggled to think why I was in this position. I was going home after my first shift at my new job. I was positive about my future. I feel this has been taken away from me.”
“My car was my prize and joy. I shuttered to thought how I was alive or going to recover.
“I was shocked to see my car and I was deeply mortified and frightened of what was ahead of me.”
He sustained a number of injuries, including an injured leg, injured lower vertebrae, “extreme pain” in his collarbone and abdomen and his toe was severed off, which required two operations to fix.
Mr Bonici was in Dorset County Hospital for two weeks where he underwent medical treatment and physiotherapy.
The court heard the severe toll the crash and injuries have had on his mental and physical health, and how his leg is in 'constant pain'.
Paying tribute to his girlfriend, he revealed she has been his carer while also working a full-time job and mother of two children.
Shapland-Hill was visibly emotional as he heard Mr Bonici’s victim impact statement.
Because of the seriousness of the offences, Shapland-Hill will be sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on January 8, 2021.
Magistrate Mr Ford told him: “The offences are so serious that it needs greater punishment than we can give.”
Shapland-Hill was released on unconditional bail and issued an interim driving ban.
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