Family turned 'upside down' by teen crash death

The family of a teenager who died in a crash have spoken of their grief, saying their "lives were turned upside down in an instant".

Jacob Crawshaw, 19, was killed when his work colleague, who was driving a van, failed to react to a slower moving lorry in front and crashed into the back of it near Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire.

His father, James, said "I fell to my knees as my world crumbled before me in disbelief and immense pain" after he heard news of his son's death.

Christopher Hicks, 44, of Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, was jailed for 30 weeks after admitting causing death by careless driving at Northampton Crown Court.

Northamptonshire Police said Hicks was driving on the westbound carriageway of the A14 between junctions 11 and 10 on 17 October 2021 when the crash occurred.

It said Hicks was driving over the speed limit that applied to his work van and Mr Crawshaw, from St Neots, had messaged a friend about Hicks' "concerning manner of his driving".

"Just 10 minutes later, Hicks failed to see the lorry he was approaching, take any safe avoiding action or even to brake before he hit it, and Jacob paid for this with his life," said Det Sgt Janette Maitland.

Hicks, of Andrew Road, was sentenced on 29 February where he was handed 30 weeks' imprisonment, a driving ban for three years and 15 weeks, and made to pay a surcharge of £156.

In a victim personal statement, James Crawshaw told the court: "Our perfect family of five has been torn apart by the loss of our amazing Jakey.

"We are cruelly taunted by anniversaries, Christmases, new years, Fathers' Day, Mothers' Day, family and friends' birthdays. The knowledge of his absence… cuts deep like a gaping wound."

Ms Maitland added: "Jacob Crawshaw was a much-loved young man with a bright future ahead of him, but that future was snatched away by the failure of Christopher Hicks to drive safely and responsibly."

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