Drink driver who killed pal in crash instructed cops ‘I do not care I need to go to mattress’

A drink driver who killed his friend told police: “I don’t care, I just want to go to bed.” A video has emerged of Jack Nixon, 27, being breathalysed by cops after he crashed into a bridge after a night out boozing.

He killed his pal Owen Tagg, 21, after crashing his car in Deal, Kent, during the early hours of October 9, 2022. He was recently sentenced to more than nine years in prison, and Kent Police have released a video of the moment Nixon gave a reading at the roadside. He told cops: “I can’t, I can’t. ,I don’t know why you’re holding it in front of me. I can’t,” when asked to give a reading.

When offered pain relief, he added: “Thanks it hurts so much. I really want to go to bed. I don’t even care about other people. I just want to go to bed.”

A court heard he had spent the night drinking in Canterbury before deciding to drive home and give a lift to three people. Holding only a provisional driving licence, and no valid insurance nor MOT, Nixon drove his purple Volkswagen Polo out of a car park, colliding with the payment machine as it left.

He drove his passengers to a drive-through restaurant in Whitfield, before stopping to buy bottles of alcohol at a nearby petrol station. Less than 10 minutes after leaving the forecourt, Nixon lost control of the car and it collided with a railway bridge in Cornwall Road, Deal.

The collision resulted in the death of one of the occupants of the vehicle, a 21-year-old man from the Aylesham area. Other occupants were left injured, requiring hospital treatment. Emergency services attended the scene where Nixon was arrested and an investigation into the collision was launched.

Nixon was breathalysed at the roadside and the test showed he had 58mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. A drugs test also showed Nixon had cannabis in his system. A bag of cannabis as well as ketamine were found during a search of the vehicle.

At Canterbury Crown Court in August this year, Nixon admitted causing a death by careless driving through alcohol, causing death by driving while unlicensed, and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Earlier this month, Nixon, of Dover, was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison. Upon his release he will also be disqualified from driving for seven years.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Kayleigh Archer said: “It is staggering to consider that after drinking alcohol during a night out Nixon got behind the wheel of the car and even stopped to buy more alcohol during his journey before the very worst scenario happened.

“His actions that night had far-reaching, tragic repercussions for all involved, as well as their families and friends. Two people were injured, one seriously, and the collision resulted in someone losing their life.

“While Nixon will now go to prison for what he did, my thoughts remain with those who are left behind to come to terms with their loss.”

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