A shocking incident occurred involving Ethan Walker, a 28-year-old man, who was seen on CCTV footage consuming alcohol at the Tideswell Wakes Derbyshire carnival. Despite his obvious inebriation, Walker chose to drive his Tesla, leading to a devastating accident.
Walker had initially offered a friend a ride, but his friend wisely declined due to Walker’s intoxicated state. Unfazed, Walker got behind the wheel, veering off a grass verge onto Whitecross Road and accelerating to speeds over 60mph.
Losing control of his vehicle, Walker’s car swerved onto the wrong side of the road, spinning out of control before mounting another grass verge. The vehicle then struck 11 bystanders, including six children, before crashing into a tree.
Bystanders immediately rushed to help the injured victims as they awaited the arrival of emergency services. When police arrived, Walker was still in the vehicle. Officers at the scene were astounded that the accident had not resulted in any fatalities.
Walker was transported to a nearby hospital, where he attempted to avoid drink and drug driving tests by pretending to be asleep. Despite his attempts, he was unable to provide a breath sample for alcohol analysis but did provide a saliva sample. The saliva test returned positive results for both cocaine and cannabis. A subsequent blood test confirmed that Walker was over the legal alcohol limit.
Walker, a resident of Stafford Road, Sheffield, and formerly of Tideswell, was charged with 11 offenses, including causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to the charges at Derby Crown Court on January 9 and was sentenced on March 14. Walker received a prison sentence of three years and six months, a driving ban of 72 months, and was ordered to pass an extended re-test before he could regain his driving privileges.
Detective Constable Dan Booth, who led the investigation, condemned Walker’s actions, stating that Walker knowingly drove under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis in an area bustling with families attending the popular village carnival. Booth expressed relief that Walker had admitted his guilt and was now serving his sentence.