Shocking dash-cam footage shows car flying through air and narrowly missing family
Watch: Dangerous driver's car flies through air and narrowly misses family
The quick thinking of a 17-year-old learner saved his family after a dangerous driver's car flipped and nearly collided with the vehicle coming the other way.
Patrick Williams, 33, was seen driving recklessly before his Peugeot skidded, rolled and then flipped when he lost control in Gloucestershire.
Police said his vehicle almost hit an entire family travelling in a Vauxhall Corsa along the A433 between Cirencester and Tetbury, on Good Friday last year.
A disaster was averted when the 17-year-old learner driver in the Corsa swerved to avoid the oncoming car.
On Monday, Gloucestershire Constabulary released the terrifying clip after Williams was given a suspended prison sentence at Gloucester Crown Court.
He admitted dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance and failing to provide a sample of breath.
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The Musty family were taking their teenage son on a driving lesson at the time and police said they were lucky to have survived.
Speaking after the case, dad Andrew Musty said they were all still very shaken up by what happened.
He said: “My 17-year-old son was a learner driver and his quick reactions saved our lives; if he hadn’t swerved onto the verge, Williams' blue Peugeot would have crashed through our front windscreen as it flew through the air, and my son and my wife in the back of the car would probably have been killed.
"Immediately after the impact, I turned my head expecting to see my son motionless and covered in blood, but by some miracle Williams' flying car somehow skimmed us leaving only blue paint marks, scratches, and bullet-shaped dents from the flying debris, and my son escaped unscathed.
"This was a traumatic experience for all of us, and the flashbacks and nightmares are a constant reminder of how lucky we are to have survived."
A witness told officers how they had previously been overtaken by Williams on the outskirts of Tetbury and believed that he was driving recklessly, going around 80mph on a blind corner.
Officers attended the scene of the collision and asked Williams to provide a sample of breath for analysis at the roadside but he refused and was arrested.
He was due to stand trial at the end of March but pleaded guilty to the offences at the beginning of January.
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Williams, of Dorchester, received a nine-month sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 45 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation, to pay £1000 in compensation and a victim surcharge of £156.
He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months and required to take an extended driving test after this time.
Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer PC Tim Griffiths added: "The Musty family are incredibly lucky to be alive today.
“They were literally inches away from being killed or very seriously hurt.”
He said: "Surprisingly the only visible damage to the Musty's Corsa was the chunks that were taken out of the alloy wheel, blue paint transfer from the glancing blow, dents from flying debris, a spare wheel and a 6 inch bolt that had been in the boot.
“The car was also sprayed with fluids from the Peugeot as well as grass and mud.”
