A DRIVER broke his back and neck in a crash into a pedestrian crossing beacon and house which caused 70 homes to lose power.
The ferocity of the collision ripped the engine out of Paul Dale Timmins's Peugeot Partner van after his vehicle veered off Fore Street in Pool, collided with a house and the beacon, crossed a roundabout, struck a kerb, then collided with another house.
Timmins, arriving on crutches, held his head in his hands and sobbed as details were told to Truro magistrates.
The 32-year-old of Dorchester Court, North Roskear Road, Camborne, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis, using a vehicle without insurance and without a driving licence.
Alison May, for the CPS, said as a result of the crash at 2.30am on June 20, shorting out the beacon, about 70 houses had their electricity supply interrupted for several hours.
Timmins and his passenger, who was also seriously injured, had to be cut free from the van and taken to hospital.
Smelling of liquor, Timmins refused to give a blood sample and swore at the police officer who requested it.
Timmins had two previous convictions for drink-driving.
Lucy Bryant, for the defence, said the incident still caused Timmins a lot of distress.
He could not remember or explain what happened that night. He suffered from cerebral palsy and bipolar condition.
As reported in the West Briton at the time, Jean George, 84, was asleep when the van destroyed her front window, leaving a 6ft hole in the wall. The road was shut until about 8am.
Mrs George's son, Ian, said she was uninjured but left shaken and confused by the crash noise which was like "a large clap of thunder".
The case was adjourned until September 29, the magistrates asking for a probation report. Interim disqualification was imposed.
