'It is sheer luck that no one was killed': Man who drove wrong way on A3 jailed

  • WATCH: Police bodycam footage shows aftermath on the A3 after a man drove the wrong way. Credit: Surrey Police

A man who drove up the A3 in the wrong direction, at more than double the drink and drug drive limits, has been jailed.

Officers were alerted to a van driving north on the southbound carriageway at Thursley just before 2.15am on Sunday 18 December 2022.

The van was involved in a three-vehicle collision just outside Guildford, causing substantial wreckage to be scattered across the road.

The people in the other vehicles were able to climb from their cars before police arrived and they received medical attention at the scene.

The van driver, Shane Mackay, of Farnham, was found lying on the front seat of the van, conscious but smelling of alcohol and slurring his speech.

He was cut from his vehicle and taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Shane Mackay has been sentenced and disqualified from driving after careering up the A3 in the wrong direction. Credit: Surrey Police

Having refused a breathalyser test at the roadside, Mackay was arrested, and his blood was tested instead.

He was found to have been driving whilst two and half times over the drug drive limit, and more than two times over the limit for drink driving, with his blood showing 172 milligrams of alcohol whilst the legal limit is 80 milligrams.

Officers were able to use DNA to place Mackay in the driver’s seat at the time of the collision.

After initially pleading not guilty, he later changed this to a guilty plea and was given a 16-month custodial sentence for dangerous driving, at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday, 2 May.

He was also sentenced to 13 weeks for drug driving to run concurrently and disqualified from driving for four years (51 months).

After this disqualification period has passed, Mackay will be required to take an extended retest if he wishes to have a new driving licence.

The van was involved in a three-vehicle collision causing substantial wreckage to be scattered across the carriageway. Credit: Surrey Police

PS Dan Ayrton from the Surrey Roads Policing Unit said: "This case shows the shocking reality of what can happen if you choose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated through drink or drugs.

"When you see the wreckage of the vehicles involved it is sheer luck that no one was killed or seriously injured in this case.

"Drink and drug driving will not be tolerated on Surrey’s roads and you should expect to pay the maximum penalty if you are caught.

"I am thankful to the members of the public who quickly called us to report this incident and I would encourage anyone who thinks they may be witnessing a drink or drug driver to contact us. We will act and use the full power of the law to remove dangerous drivers from our roads and protect you and your loved ones."

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