AN electrician crashed his car into an on-coming vehicle after he swerved and tried to pass it on the wrong side of the road.
The on-coming motorist saw the vehicle approach at speed and believed it would pass him in the normal way on the Terrig Hill between Nercwys and Treuddyn.
But the car drove onto the wrong side of the road, went up an embankment, rolled onto its side and slid into the front of the vehicle.
Daniel Robert Gerling, of Well Street in Treuddyn, and his passenger, both climbed out of the driver’s door and ran off without checking on the welfare of the other driver, Caerwyn Evans.
Gerling, 28, admitted careless driving, failing to stop and failing to report the accident on November 17 last year. He was fined £775 with £130 costs.
Prosecutor Matthew Ellis said Gerling had later told police he had not been drinking.
But it was an aggravating feature of the case that he had left the scene without giving the police the opportunity to go through the breathtest procedure.
Flintshire Magistrates Court at Mold heard how Mr Evans was driving down Terrig Hill towards Mold when he saw a Toyota car approaching at high speed.
The Toyota driven by Gerling suddenly swerved to the wrong side of the road, went onto an embankment to pass him, the car rolled on its side and then slid into Mr Evans’ car.
Magistrates heard how Mr Evans then saw two men climb out of the car and run away.
The passenger was apprehended, was said to be very drunk, and he said he remembered seeing lights, climbing out of the car, and hiding for a few hours.
Gerling was interviewed three days later and said he had not been drinking.
Brian Cross, defending, said Gerling had a clean driving licence, and worked as a commercial electrician who could be called out anywhere in the country. He was ashamed of his behaviour and had written a letter of apology to Mr Evans.
It was Gerling’s case that the two cars met on a narrow piece of road, he thought the other car was pulling over to his side, and he swerved to avoid the car. He was in panic, his friend ran off and he did the same.
It was absolutely vital that he retained his driving licence otherwise there would be no job for him.
Magistrates did not impose a disqualification.