A man has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, alongside a two year and 10 month driving ban with the requirement to sit a retest to get his driving licence back, following a three-vehicle collision in Guildford.

Attila Nagy, 43 (DOB:20/07/1982) of Knaphill, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Monday, 6 January after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

At around 5pm on Monday, 24 February 2025, police were called to a three-vehicle collision involving a Honda Jazz, a BMW 3 Series and a Mercedes C-Class on Woking Road.

Upon arrival, officers found significant damage to all three vehicles and debris across the carriageway with witnesses referring to the dangers of Nagy’s driving.

Nagy, the driver of the Mercedes, claimed the collision was caused by him taking evasive action to avoid hitting a fox which had run out on the road from a woodland at the roadside.

However, dash cam footage from his vehicle showed that he had tried to overtake the Honda Jazz and, while attempting to return to the correct lane, collided head on with the BMW.

While Nagy and the driver of the Honda escaped without injury, the driver of the BMW had to be removed from their vehicle with support from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

They were subsequently taken to hospital with serious internal injuries and will require medication to treat this for the rest of their life.

In questioning, Nagy said his decision to attempt an overtake was due to the Honda driver not travelling at an appropriate speed.

The dash cam footage showed no sign of a fox.

Investigating officer PC Pat Nixon from our Roads Policing Unit said: “This collision could have ended very differently. Nagy’s actions showed a complete disregard for the safety of others on the road and could have had fatal consequences.

“He showed no remorse for his behaviour, claiming a fox was the cause of the collision. Our investigation showed this to be a lie. I am glad we have bought some justice and closure for the victim in this case who was travelling home innocently.

“Dangerous or careless driving is one of the ‘fatal five’ factors which are considered the main causes of serious injury or fatal collisions on our roads.

“Anyone who commits these offences could be the reason why a loved one doesn’t make it home. Is it really worth your freedom?”