Survivor of Peterborough crash that killed her friend vows to help prevent more victims of drink drivers
The survivor of a crash that killed her friend has vowed to do all she can to stop others falling victim to drink drivers – after the man who caused the fatal collision was jailed for eight years.
Muhammad Faizan (23) and Sharon Enoch (46) were driving along the A605 near Coates on December 21 last year when they were struck by the Vauxhall driven by Owen Bird.
Mr Faizan died at the scene, while Miss Enoch needed a month in hospital as she fought for her life.
The pair had been travelling to work in March, where they worked as security staff.
Bird had been drinking before driving.
On Friday, November 21, Bird (46) of Headland Way, Whittlesey, was jailed at Peterborough Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit and causing serious injury by careless driving while over the prescribed limit.
"If our story can stop one person from drink driving, then that is what I have to do"
Speaking to The Peterborough Telegraph after the court case, Miss Enoch – who suffered numerous injuries in the crash including a fractured spine – said she wanted to speak to youngsters in schools, colleges and universities to try and stop people from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs.
The mum of two said: “I want to work with others. I want to help others in any way I can.
"If our story can stop one person from drink driving, then that is what I have to do.
"I want to put my energy into that, rather than hate – you can’t give them the energy. You just have to be a good person.
"I would love to meet up with him (Bird) – I have so many questions to ask him. I have applied to do that, and it is up to him."
“More than a thousand people came to his funeral in Peterborough”
After the case was concluded, Miss Enoch, and two of Mr Faizan’s cousins, Abrar Ahmed and Atta Mustafa, also paid tribute to Mr Faizan.
Mr Ahmed said the family was still coming to terms with the tragedy.
He said: “More than a thousand people came to his funeral in Peterborough, and when his body was taken to his family in Pakistan, hundreds of people turned up. It shows the impact he had on everyone. ”He was always on hand to help, to explain things to us.He was always very good to his friends, and a family man. He wanted to do things his way.”
Miss Enoch said: “I worked every Saturday with him at the Griffin (pub in March). Everybody loved him. As door staff, sometimes you have a bad reputation – but no-one had a bad word to say about Muhammed.”
Mr Mustafa said Mr Faizan had been working towards a Masters qualification at the University of Hertfordshire when the crash happened.
He said: “He was doing so well with his qualifications, that they gave him an honorary diploma. He had applied to Barclays Bank as part of the graduate scheme, and was working as a careers coach at the university. Everyone was very proud about what he was achieving.”
“Never, ever drink and drive. No questions, no ifs, no buts. If you have had one drink, it is too many.”
Mr Mohammed also echoed Miss Enoch’s warnings over drink driving. He said: “Never, ever drink and drive. No questions, no ifs, no buts. If you have had one drink, it is too many.”
Miss Enoch is still recovering from her injuries – but is planning for Christmas with her two children – now aged 14 and eight – after spending last Christmas in hospital.
She said: “I worked five days as a cleaner, and two days as security – I liked earning my own money, and I have lost that as a result of this.
"I loved my job as security – I loved the rapport, I was good at my job. But he (Bird) has taken that away from me.
"I was in hospital for a month, and my boys were asking why I was in hospital. This year, we will have Christmas as a family.”
Beer cans found in drivers’ possessions
The crash happened at about 8.30pm. Bird was driving home from his job at Tesco in March when he collided with the car driven by Mr Faizan.
Marti Blair, prosecuting, told the court that a witness saw the defendant swerve from his lane. Mr Faizan moved to avoid the crash, but the defendant then swerved back, causing a head on crash.
The court was told data from Bird’s car revealed he had been travelling at 65 mph on the 60mph road when the collision happened. The data showed he had been accelerating until half a second before the impact.
Two empty cans of strong lager – Stella Artois and Kronenbourg – were found in Bird’s possessions after the crash.
He gave a breath test at the scene of the crash, reading 52ugs of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the limit is 35 ugs.
However, this could not be used as an evidential reading, and four hours after the crash he gave a blood reading of 60ugs in 100ml of blood – the limit being 80.
A back calculation was worked out to reveal the likely blood alcohol level at the time of the crash, which was said to be 133ugs – with a range of between 91 and 171.
Along with the eight year jail sentence, Judge Sean Enright banned Bird from driving until November 21 2034 – and said that he will have to take an extended retest if he wants to get behind the wheel again.