Reliving a nightmare
Dec 1 2007 by Paul James, The Journal
A YOUNG Northumberland mother yesterday relived the crash which claimed the life of a close friend and left her needing seven operations.
Two years ago Michelle Garrity finished her shift at the Travellers Rest pub in Cramlington and was driving home with friends when her car was hit head on by drink driver David Grey, who was travelling home from a night out in Morpeth.
The crash, at 2.17am, killed 24-year-old Stuart Elsender, of Allensgreen, Cramlington and left Michelle and Stuart’s younger brother David fighting for their lives.
At the time Michelle, 24, of Parkside Chase, Cramlington, was looking forward to an interview at Newcastle law firm Dickinson Dees to work in credit control.
But instead she ended up in a hospital bed with two skull fractures, three neck fractures, a punctured lung and broken bones in her eye socket, nose, thigh bone, wrist, elbow and shoulder.
She has had to go through operations to have metal pins and plates inserted into her leg, elbow, shoulder and face. Her nose and eye socket also had to be rebuilt using bone from her ribs and cartilage from her ear.
Michelle, who cannot work and has not regained full use of her right arm, still faces weekly trips to hospital and still has at least another operation to go through in the New Year.
Yesterday she joined road safety officials to front this year’s festive campaign against drink driving in the North-East.
Last year the region saw 448 people injured in accidents where at least one driver failed a breath test. The total was 460 in 2005 and 424 in 2004.
Michelle is now trying to rebuild her life with partner Paul Thornton, 21, a plumber, and the couple will celebrate daughter Megan’s first birthday next week.
Yesterday at the launch of the campaign she said: “I owe it to Stuart to do this and get as much publicity as possible to stop this happening. If I can stop one person drinking and driving and save one life, I need to do this.
“It was two years ago but it still feels like yesterday. With every operation I relive it. I can’t even go back into the pub without getting upset.”
Grey, of Monkswood, North Shields, admitted causing death by dangerous driving in January 2006 and was jailed for three years in March that year.
Newcastle Crown Court was told how he had spent the night drinking in Morpeth, Northumberland, and had planned to stay the night, but decided to drive home despite being offered a lift after he became separated from his friends.
The store manager was driving along Dudley Lane, Cramlington, when he strayed on to the wrong side of the road and smashed into Michelle’s Vauxhall Corsa.
Yesterday Northumbria Police said that as well as random tests across the region this year, any driver involved in any road crash will be breath tested.
Operations department chief inspector Kevin Wellden said: “We will be looking to continue to enforce the law and anyone who is stupid enough to risk drinking or taking drugs and driving can expect to be arrested and charged.
“Our message remains the same. It’s simple – don’t drink or take drugs and drive.”
