Police condemn drink driver Ashley Towning’s cowardice after his sentence for death of mother
Police have said a “coward” who ran from a crash in which a 40-year-old mother was killed has “shown no remorse at all”.
Ashley Towning, 30, of Winchester Road, Grantham, was driving with more than three times the legal alcohol limit and under the influence of cannabis and cocaine when he struck Lijuan Wu, 40, and her two daughters on Barrowby Road, Grantham.
The family was returning from a shopping trip for the eldest daughter’s 16th birthday when Towning mounted the pavement and collided with them while on the phone.
Ms Wu died at the scene; her daughters suffered minor injuries.
Judge Simon Hirst sentenced Towning to 10 years and eight months and imposed a 10-year, four-month driving ban today (Monday, October 28).
Court testimony revealed that Towning fled the scene but was later arrested at his parents’ home.
Read the full sentencing report here.
He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop and drink-driving.
Following the case, Det Sgt James Perring of Lincolnshire Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: "Towning has shown no remorse at all. He fled from the scene like a coward. He was drunk, and his driving was affected by the alcohol and drugs he had taken.
"It is unbelievable that he chose to get behind a wheel in his stupor; his complete disregard for the safety of anyone is beyond comprehension.
“Add to that, he was also highly likely to have been on his mobile phone when he drove up the kerb and into the family of three.
“There is no sentence or sense of judgement that will ever equate to the sadness and tragedy Towning has left behind in his mindless drunken wake.
"I hope he finds a conscience and never drives again.”
He said Mrs Wu’s death had left her family devastated and that what happened in front of her two young daughters, one of whom was celebrating her birthday, would never be forgotten by them.
He added that their thoughts were with the family.
