Boston man jailed over three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving
A Boston man has been jailed in relation to a two-vehicle collision near Lincoln that led to an adult and two children receiving serious injuries, Lincolnshire Police has said.
Gospodin Hristov, 34, of Witham Street, received a three-year jail term at Lincoln Crown Court today (Thursday, September 17) after admitting three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, the force said.
He was also banned from driving for three years and three months and must take an extended retest before being allowed to drive again, it added.
Following the conclusion of the case, Lincolnshire Police shared the following summary of events that led to the prosecution:
- On Monday, October 28, 2024, at about 9.20am, Hristov was driving a BMW 118D from Saxilby towards Harby, near Lincoln, along Station Road when he approached the junction with Tom Otter’s Lane and Saxilby Road. Travelling along Saxilby Road towards the A57 at the same time was a Nissan Qashqai Tekna.
- As Hristov reached the junction he failed to give way, colliding with the Nissan. The junction is preceded by a number of clearly visible warning signs and there is no advance view of the priority road on approach in either direction, police noted.
- The driver of the Qashqai, 43, and her two passengers, aged 12 and 15, all received multiple fractures that required extensive treatment at hospital. All three have had to undergo surgery for their respective considerable injuries, police said.
The prosecution followed detailed investigation by Lincolnshire Police’s Serious and Forensic Collision Investigation units, the force said.
Technical examinations of the vehicles found no issues that were contributory in the collision; the BMW had faulty brakes, but they would have stopped the car if applied, the force said.
A spokesman for the force said: “It was established during the investigation that Hristov had passed a number of yellow-backed warning signs advising of the approaching junction and the requirement to give way at the junction. It was also noted that on the approach there would be little view of any approaching traffic on the road crossing ahead.
“Witness testimony and investigations at the scene indicate that Hristov entered the junction at speed and made no attempt to give way. The other driver had no opportunity to avoid the inevitable collision that occurred.”
In interview, Hristov stated that he was using satellite navigation through his phone as he was unfamiliar with the area, police said. Examination of his phone confirmed that it was not being used for other reasons at the time of the collision, the force added. He was unable to give a reason as to why he failed to notice the warning signs on the approach to the junction, police said.
Det Sgt Mel Ablitt, from the force’s Serious Collision Investigation unit, said: “This collision was due to the dangerous driving of Hristov when he failed to heed the warnings of the approaching junction. Those signs were clearly visible and there to be seen, but he emerged into the path of an oncoming car with no regard for anyone’s safety.
“The importance of concentration and reacting to the information that surrounds you cannot be overstated. You have a responsibility to your passengers and other road users to drive in accordance with the rules of the road and give way at junctions if required to do so.”