‘Impatient’ Porsche driver crashed showing off new car to son, court hears

An “impatient” Porsche driver crashed while showing off his new car to his teenage son, a court heard.

Jason Zibarras, 50, wanted to show his son how fast his £80,000 ($161,000) Porsche Taycan could go when he made an overtaking move on the crest of a hill near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

He was jailed for 18 months after accelerating from 77km/h to 135km/h and ploughing into two vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.

Steven Askew, 35, was left with mobility problems and memory loss after being hit by Zibarras while driving home with his 10-month-old son.

Zibarras admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and has also been banned from driving for three years.

Judge John Bate-Williams, sentencing, told Zibarras: “It was a bad mistake, a very bad mistake. Askew has suffered devastating effects on his life.

“It was born out of, in my view, your impatience and your desire to show the speed of your new car to your son.”

The court heard that Askew had celebrated his baby son’s first Christmas in the new home he’d bought with his wife just weeks before the crash, on January 26 last year.

He was rushed to hospital after the collision, and suffered a broken collarbone, shin, arm, foot, and had two bleeds on his brain.

Askew told the court: “I was dismissed from the hospital just in time to see my son walk for the first time and to celebrate his first birthday.

“I’m now struggling with what feels like a slower mind and have short-term memory issues.”

Zibarras accelerated to race past two cars on double white lines on the A3400 and ploughed into Askew’s Volvo v50 and a Renault Capture moments after passing the second car.

Data from the Porsche showed Zibarras accelerated in just five seconds moments before colliding with Askew.

Nigel Ogbourne, prosecuting, said the father-of-three from Oxford Road, Enstone, was familiar with the road and “must have known” not to overtake.

‘Deeply ashamed’

Richard Dawson, defending, described Zibarras as “deeply ashamed”, and added: “There really is no sentence this court can impose that would be a greater punishment than the torment he already places on himself”.

Constable Mark Jones, of the joint operations roads policing unit at Thames Valley Police, said: “The victims’ lives and those of their families have been tipped upside down due to Jason Zibarras deciding to drive so dangerously”.

He added: “I would like to thank all the witnesses who have assisted this investigation and who are still affected by what they encountered at the scene. I hope this sentence serves as a reminder to people who chose to drive in such a manner that there are consequences not only for them but for others too.”