Lakenheath – Man jailed after police officers were injured in a serious collision in 2022

A 29-year-old man has been jailed for 32 months after two police officers sustained serious injuries following a head-on collision in Lakenheath almost two years ago.

Seth Ray, of Harebell Road in Red Lodge, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday 18 September, where he was sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for four years and four months and will be required to take an extended retest.

Ray had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The incident occurred before 1:10am on Sunday 25 September 2022 on the B1112 Eriswell Road, when a grey BMW X5 being driven by Ray was involved in a head-on collision with a white Peugeot 308 marked police car which was responding to an emergency with blue lights activated.

The driver and passenger of the Peugeot 308, two male police officers, were seriously injured. Ray assisted them both by pulling them from the police car, along with members of the public who arrived after the collision, and provided first aid.

On arrival of emergency services, one of the injured officers disclosed that the BMW had been on the wrong side of the road. Both officers were taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital having sustained injuries that were considered, at the time, to be potentially life-threatening.

Ray was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and driving with excess alcohol after providing a roadside breath test which confirmed he had consumed alcohol prior to the collision, but which was below the legal limit.

Police also obtained a urine sample for analysis which was later back calculated and concluded that Ray’s blood alcohol concentration was under the prescribed limit.

Footage from the police vehicle’s dashcam prior to the collision captured headlights from an oncoming vehicle, appearing to be on the wrong side of the road.

Analysis of CCTV recordings of the local area and approach to the collision scene also showed a similar size and type of vehicle to the BMW Ray was driving travelling over the central white line.

The BMW was recovered for examination and several defects were identified, including tyre damage, which deemed the vehicle to be illegal on the road. Whilst these defects are not believed to have contributed to the collision, analysis from Ray’s mobile phone indicated he was aware of the defects.

On 16 November 2022 Ray was further arrested on suspicion of using a motor vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger or injury and later charged. This charge was left to lay on file.

Detective Inspector Dave McCormack said: “The lives of the victims have been changed immeasurably as a result of this collision.

“One of the injured police officers returned to work in September 2023 but is expected to require knee ligament surgeries; the other is not yet well enough to return to work and is continuing with rehabilitation for his injuries.

“We may never know the full reason why Ray was on the wrong side of the road, but it is every motorist’s responsibility to drive with proper care and attention.

“Any lapse in concentration, whether that be through tiredness or being distracted, can have significant consequences.”