Seven years for Wheatley man who fled fatal M40 crash

TODAY (15/4/09), Bernie McDonagh, aged 23, from Middle Ground in Wheatley has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for causing death while driving without due care and attention, failing to provide a specimen, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, driving whilst disqualified, driving with no insurance, arson and possession of a class C drug.

Mr McDonagh was driving a stolen Ford Transit van that was involved in a fatal collision on the M40 on July 12, 2008, between Milton Common and Lewknor.

A passenger in the other vehicle involved, a blue Ford Fista, died shortly after he and two friends were trapped in the overturned Fiesta following the collision. He was 29 year-old Ross Shears, from Crowborough, East Sussex.

A police spokesperson said after the sentencing: “This tragedy has robbed a young man of his life and a family of their loved one and Mr McDonagh must now face the consequences of his actions.
“On behalf of Thames Valley Police, I would like to offer our sincere condolences and sympathies to Ross Shears? family and friends. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

Ross Shears’ family issued the following statement: “Ross was a big man with a big heart and a personality to match. He was a loving husband, a wonderful son and a brilliant brother, No matter what sentence was handed down today it would never have been long enough for we have a life sentence of grieving for Ross. He was taken from us far too early because of the actions of a careless driver on the M40 on 12 July 2008.

We would like to thanks the Thames Valley Air Ambulance for all their efforts in trying to save Ross?s life at the crash scene. They do a superb job and have to rely on public donations to operate.

We would also like to thank Thames Valley Police who did a brilliant job in bringing together all the information on what happened that day and the Crown Prosecution Service for putting the case together.”