COP OUT: Fury as head-on crash driver avoids police action

SMASH: Stills from his film of the car driving at his vehicle

Colin Kay and his wife Krysia, both 72, were involved in the crash on the A586 at the junction with Raikes Road in Great Eccleston, near Preston.

A female motorist drove straight into the path of the Citroen Picasso driven by Mr Kay, writing off both vehicles.

But she escaped any action because the police officer investigating the case went off sick and the paperwork was not prepared in time.

Today retired engineer Mr Kay – who has suffered flashbacks since the crash – said he is “very disappointed that no police action has been taken”.

He added: “I have written to the IPCC and put my points across – it’s not only my case not acted upon. How many others have not been acted upon?

“I think it’s disgusting. If I was off sick, somebody picked up my work!

“She has just got away with it and that’s that.”

Mr and Mrs Kay were both left with bruises and Mrs Kay had a whiplash injury to her shoulder.

The driver of the other car was cut out of her Toyota Aygo and taken to the Royal Preston Hospital by air ambulance. It is understood she did not have serious injuries.

The crash happened at the end of August last year. Mr and Mrs Kay were travelling to see Mr Kay’s father in Kirkham and had come off the motorway because of an accident.

Grandfather-of-seven Mr Kay, said: “We were extremely lucky. I have a pacemaker and I thought my chest was going to explode.

“We were both bruised right across where the seatbelts were.”

“It is a miracle that no one was more seriously hurt, given that it was a serious head-on smash at 50 mph.

“I had very little time to brake because she turned right in front of me due to a lapse in concentration.

“I feared the worst afterwards because she was trapped in her vehicle but thankfully she was not badly hurt, and was cut out by fire crews.

He added: “I contacted the police because I was keen to see a full prosecution to stop more careless driving.

“But nothing has been done because the investigating officer went off sick and they could not prepare the paperwork in time.

“The only way our roads are going to become safer is when motorists driving carelessly are punished.

“My wife and I were very lucky that we were not more seriously hurt and we have very disappointed that no police action has been taken.”

The drama was caught on Mr Kay’s SmartWitness journey recorder. He said the driver initially said it was a simple accident – unaware it had been caught on camera.

Mr Kay, who lives in Stackshead, Bacup, has since bought a new Picasso because he and his wife were both so well protected.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “Officers attended and carried out a thorough investigation. An accident report was submitted with a recommendation for the driver to attend a Drivers’ Alertness Course.

“Unfortunately, the officer in the case was off sick and the report was not processed within the time frame for prosecution.”