A driver who killed a mother crossing the road after consuming cannabis edibles has been sentenced to three years and ten months in prison. Jake Bolton, 36, was traveling home from his traffic maintenance job when he struck Himabindu Yadla, known as Bindu, as she crossed Tramway Lane in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, on October 24, 2024.
Bolton tested positive for twice the legal limit of cannabis in his blood, having consumed edibles the weekend prior to the incident. He also tested positive for cocaine and was found to be sleep-deprived. Police discovered 6 grams of cannabis in a first-aid box in the trunk of his Audi S3.
Ms. Yadla, 37, was propelled into the air by the impact and landed on the road. She sustained a brain injury and remained on life support for 18 days before passing away at Royal Preston Hospital on November 11. Bolton, upon realizing the gravity of the situation, contacted emergency services. In his 999 call, he told the operator, "I've just run somebody over." He also informed a bus driver who stopped at the scene that he was responsible for the collision and cooperated with the police investigation.
Bolton pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, driving with a blood cannabis level exceeding the legal limit, driving without valid insurance, and possession of a Class B drug. His defense counsel stated that Bolton's remorse and guilt have persisted for two years and acknowledged that no sentence could fully compensate for the loss.
Ms. Yadla's brother, Hemanth, shared in a victim impact statement that his sister had come to the UK to build a better life for herself and her eight-year-old daughter, who was living with her grandparents in India. Ms. Yadla had earned a Master's degree in international business management and was in the process of arranging for her daughter to join her in the UK. The court heard that Ms. Yadla was a vulnerable road user due to a childhood case of polio, which affected her gait.
Judge Robert Altham, in sentencing, described Ms. Yadla as a "strong, intelligent, competent woman" who had overcome significant adversity, including childhood polio, to establish a successful life and career in the UK. He emphasized the profound impact of her death on her family, noting she was a vital link between generations and had plans to bring her daughter to live with her, which are now abandoned.
The judge acknowledged Bolton's remorse but stressed that his actions, choosing to consume cannabis and drive while sleep-deprived and using a hands-free phone, constituted an "unwarranted and avoidable risk." Bolton was disqualified from driving for six years. He received no separate penalty for drug driving and driving without insurance, and an absolute discharge for cannabis possession.