The families of two elderly individuals who lost their lives in a collision involving an ambulance are still seeking answers over two years after the incident occurred.
Despite the driver of the private ambulance admitting guilt for causing death due to careless driving, the relatives of Jane Blampied and Anthony Dawbarn are left with unresolved queries. Julie Ijere, the driver in question, received a non-custodial sentence at Cambridge Crown Court, leaving the circumstances of the accident shrouded in mystery.
Julie Ijere, aged 60, was handed a suspended 20-month prison term, along with a five-year driving ban and a mandate to undergo an extended driving test.
Detective Inspector Dave McCormack from Suffolk Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit expressed sympathy for the families of the deceased, acknowledging the prolonged legal process and the families’ patience. He emphasized that while Ijere accepted responsibility by pleading guilty, the exact cause of the tragedy remains elusive, causing understandable frustration among the bereaved families.
The fatal incident occurred when Ijere, driving an ambulance with two patients and a colleague en route to Newmarket, Suffolk, veered into the path of a Volkswagen Golf driven by Ms. Blampied, resulting in the ambulance overturning. Regrettably, 93-year-old Anthony Dawbarn, a patient in the ambulance, sustained severe injuries and passed away at Addenbrooke’s Hospital two days later.
Following her guilty plea to two counts of death by careless driving, evidence from CCTV and dashcam footage indicated that the ambulance had crossed into the opposite lane just before the collision, leading to the tragic outcome. However, investigations found no evidence of distractions within the ambulance or any phone usage by Ijere.
Despite being on prescribed medication at the time, there was no evidence suggesting impairment of Ijere’s driving ability due to the medication. Victim personal statements presented during the court proceedings highlighted the profound impact of the loss on the families and friends of the deceased.
In addition to her sentence, Ijere is required to perform 80 hours of unpaid work, participate in a 15-day rehabilitation program, and pay a victim surcharge of £500 and £187 in costs.