Driver jailed after 'dangerous overtaking manoeuvre' caused crash which killed father

Sahil Nagpal was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court after he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, and three offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, after a four-day trial earlier this year.

The crash, which happened on a rural stretch of the A171 between Whitby and Teesside at around 7pm on October 8, 2023, caused the death of Paul Brand, who was on his way to work.

The crash also resulted in three members of Nagpal’s family, who were travelling with him in the car, being seriously injured.

The court heard Nagpal, of Wardley, Gateshead, was driving his Hyundai i40 car near Scaling Reservoir when made a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre which resulted in his car colliding head-on with a Mr Brand’s vehicle which was being driven in the opposite direction.

The 30-year-old Nagpal made the manoevre despite solid white lines along the centre of the road; a warning sign stating ‘hidden dip’; and a ‘slow’ warning marker on the road.

The court was told that at the time of the collision, his vehicle was wholly on the wrong side of the road.

After the sentencing hearing on Tuesday (Dec 2), a statement from Mr Brand’s family said: “After a long, drawn out, painful two years we can finally stop and think about starting to properly grieve, knowing that the man who killed our dad is finally getting punishment, and we will have some justice for our dad.

“We have had the most horrific two years of court cases, meetings, etc., having to re-live the events of the crash which killed our dad, over and over again. We had to hear the list of our dad’s injuries caused by the crash, which was longer than you can imagine.

“We saw images of the car as a result of the crash – this was gut-wrenching and will be stuck with us for the rest of our lives. All while Sahil Nagpal watched our pain, and continued to plead not guilty.

“We will continue to keep our dad alive by never letting him be forgotten by anyone, and he will also be remembered by his grandson who never got to meet his grandad.”

Traffic Constable Gemma Brett, of North Yorkshire Police’s major collision investigation unit, said: “The impact this collision had on Mr Brand’s family has been immeasurable.

“I pay tribute to the strength and dignity they have shown throughout this ordeal, particularly his two children, who were both teenagers when he died. I hope they can derive some comfort from the outcome at court.

“By contrast, Nagpal – in the face of overwhelming evidence of his dangerous driving – pleaded ‘not guilty’, forcing Mr Brand’s family to re-live the trauma of this devastating incident.

“So many lives were affected by Nagpal’s actions on that day, and it is right that he now faces the consequences.”