A CIVIL engineer from the Isle of Wight, who caused serious injury to passengers when he crashed his Jaguar car while more than twice the drug-drive limit, faces possible jail.  

On Friday, November 3, during an appearance at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court, Perry John Powell, of Creek Gardens, Wootton, admitted drug driving.

On March 24, he was tailgating a car in Wootton, before overtaking at the junction of Whiterails Road, heading towards Newport, court heard.

Later, the driver who had been overtaken came across the Jaguar on its roof, on Staplers Road.

A second motorist said he had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with Powell, who was "all over the road" and driving erratically, at a speed estimated to be between 70-90mph, said Munayah Hassan, prosecuting.

On a left-hand bend, Powell lost control of the vehicle, over-corrected and went over a grass verge, striking a tree and a fence, made of thick railway sleepers, court heard.

The car flipped onto its roof and slid a further 60m along the road — eventually stopping on the driveway to Ashlea Farm.

At the scene, Powell, with no previous convictions, provided a positive roadside drugs test for cannabis.

Three passengers, including a teenager, were taken to St Mary's Hospital. Two suffered fractures and have since made a full recovery, said Powell's solicitor, Michael McGoldrick.

A blood test revealed a reading of 5.0 microgrammes of the cannabis derivative THC. The legal drug-drive level for cannabis is 2.0.

Magistrates ordered a report, to cover all sentencing options including a possible jail term, and bailed Powell to reappear on December 8.