A teenager who drove into a cyclist while under the influence of alcohol and then left the scene of the crime has received an 18-week suspended jail sentence.
Lionel Reid, aged 19, of Polesdon Avenue in Swindon, had been drinking with friends before he decided to get behind the wheel of his BMW.
Reid, who was visiting a friend at university at the time, was travelling down Wilford Road on September 26, 2025, just before 6.30am when he hit the 50-year-old cyclist.
Rather than helping the injured man, who had sustained serious head and facial injuries and broken bones, Reid decided to continue to drive on.
He then ditched his car in Oxbow Close in the Meadows. He then returned to the scene of the crime on foot but did not identify himself to officers or confess to what he had done.
Officers located the abandoned vehicle two hours after the crash, where Reid’s wallet was found inside the vehicle containing his personal details.
Reid finally contacted the police by phone at 12.16pm after officers in Wiltshire spoke with his parents and he was arrested and later charged with causing serious injury by careless and reckless driving.
A drugs and alcohol test was conducted, with both cannabis and alcohol found in his system. A forensic science consultant then examined the length of time from when the collision occurred to when the alcohol and drug sample was taken to provide a more definite reading.
He said it was likely that Reid was twice over the legal alcohol limit when he was behind the wheel. However, Reid told police that he had drank very little that evening and had only smoked cannabis after the collision at his friend’s student flat.
The consultant said mixing cannabis and alcohol is a dangerous cocktail when it comes to driving a vehicle, making a crash 16 times more likely.
Reid pleaded guilty to the offence at Nottingham Magistrates Court and was sentenced on Friday 2 October. He was handed a 18 week suspended sentence that will last for 18 months.
He will also need to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, and received a driving ban lasting for two years, which includes completing an extended re-test to receive his driving licence back.
In his defence, his solicitor, stated that Reid was remorseful for leaving the scene and that it was out of character and “an appalling decision”.
Reid was currently studying on a computer science degree course and had not been in any trouble before.
The magistrates, who deliberated on the seriousness of the offence, upon sentencing said the culpability and harm had surpassed the custody threshold but that a suspended sentence was “proportionate and balanced”.
They warned Reid that “be under no illusion that you got away with it” and “be under no illusion as this bench is not pleased with you.”
Detective Constable Christopher Taylor, who investigated the incident as part of the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:
“Reid’s behaviour was completely reckless. Not only did he crash into a cyclist causing him significant injuries, but rather than stopping at the scene and helping a man in desperate need of medical attention, he made a conscious decision to leave the scene and abandon his vehicle. Â
“He made a selfish decision to leave the cyclist in the road, with most drivers in Nottinghamshire staying at the scene to accept what they have done. Fortunately he was cared for by decent members of the public who saw the victim lying there.
“Instead, by his own admission, he went to his friend’s house to smoke cannabis.
“The victim was left with significant injuries and had to spend 21 days in hospital. The injuries included skull fractures, a bleed on the brain, multiple facial fractures, and a broken shoulder joint amongst other injuries that have had a severe impact on his life and that of his family.
“I hope this case serves as a strong reminder of the dangers of getting behind a vehicle after a night out in town. The victim in this case is very lucky to be alive.” Â
After the hearing, officers facilitated a meeting between Reid and the cyclist in which Reid apologised directly.
