Man thought he would die as Stanion driver reversed into him at speed in car park
A man thought he would die as he was struck in a supermarket car park by a vehicle reversing at speed which also hit and trapped his wife.
The married pedestrians were both badly hurt as driver Victoria Angel Sutherland, of Corby Road in Stanion, accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of her MG ZS utility vehicle’s brake pedal.
The shocking incident occurred in a Sainsbury’s car park in Penrith, Cumbria, on April 6 last year.
“The vehicle driven by Ms Angel reversed at speed some distance, colliding with a married couple,” prosecutor Jackie Partington told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.
At that moment, the couple were loading shopping into their own vehicle.
Of the injured woman, the prosecutor said: “She was thrown to the floor and pinned on her front.”
She later stated: “The next thing I knew the vehicle was on top of me. I was stuck under the rear of the vehicle.“
Her husband heard the sound of an engine revving, looked across and saw the MG reversing towards him.
He tried to grab hold of the vehicle. “He was then dragged underneath,” said Ms Partington. “He does say he genuinely thought he was going to die.”
The woman suffered a fractured wrist which was placed in a splint and then plastercast. She required physiotherapy,
Her husband was airlifted to hospital in Newcastle. Both bones in one forearm were fractured, and he suffered a knee injury which required repair.
Surgery to mend thumb ligament damage was unsuccessful and his ability to carry out daily activities had been affected.
Angel Sutherland, 41, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by careless driving.
The court heard she was staying at a nearby Premier Inn with her parents, and in the car park had earlier collided with the A-frame of a camper van, which broke her brake light.
A short time later, she asked her mother to check the light. It was as she reversed — intending only to lightly press the brake pedal — that she instead accelerated in an automatic vehicle she’d had for 14 months.
“It was just absolutely horrendous,” said a probation officer who interviewed her before sentencing. “She is so, so very sorry for the injuries caused. She has a clean licence.
“It has affected her badly, mentally, the impact it has had on the victims of these offences.”
Defence solicitor Chris Toms said Angel Sutherland had been a woman of exemplary character who cared for her parents and worked as a food production company executive assistant.
Of the accelerator press, Mr Toms said: “It is a classic mistake that perfectly normal, ordinary people make. She couldn’t be more upset by it.”
Angel Sutherland was given a 12-month community order and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work. She was also banned from driving for 18 months.