A 'reckless' disqualified driver who killed his friend in a horror crash in Oldbury has been jailed for 10 years. Corey Brown, 20, was behind the wheel of a stolen Ford Fiesta when he lost control and smashed into three parked vehicles and a lamppost on Newbury Lane on March 20. He then fled the scene, leaving his two seriously injured passengers in the car.
Victim described as 'life of the room'
One of the passengers, Kristian Danielov, also 20, died in hospital nine days later. His family paid tribute, saying he had 'a big heart and a personality nobody could ignore'. They added: 'He will never get the chance to celebrate future birthdays, build the family he wanted, get married, or experience all the milestones he deserved.'
Dangerous driving before the crash
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that prior to the collision, Brown had been driving dangerously, overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road and reaching speeds 'significantly above' the 30mph limit. He clipped a central reservation bollard, causing the vehicle to lose control and hit three parked cars on a driveway before striking a lamppost.
Arrest and sentence
Brown was arrested at his home address in Albert Street, Lye, after leaving the scene. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, and driving offences. On Friday, July 3, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Police warning
Detective Sergeant Richard Evans, from West Midlands Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'A young man lost his life due to dangerous and reckless driving by someone he called a friend. Brown will now pay the price for his actions – spending a long stretch behind bars. I hope this sentence sends a strong message to anyone that thinks it’s ok to drive a car dangerously – your actions could have a devastating impact.'
