By Laura Devlin and PA Media, Norwich
Norfolk Police
A driver’s winking selfie that she had looked at on her phone moments before a fatal crash has been released by police.
Amber Potter is seen sticking out her tongue in a photo she had taken while behind the wheel of her moving car.
The 23-year-old of Livingstone Street, Norwich, was zooming in on the image when she ploughed into scooter rider David Sinar on the A11 in Norfolk in 2021.
She admitted death by careless driving and was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court to three years and nine months in jail.
Norfolk Police
Mr Sinar, 64, had been riding back from Bournemouth on the Lambretta scooter he had bought that day.
He was struck by the Vauxhall Corsa at Larling, between Thetford and Attleborough, on 15 September 2021 at about 21:25 BST, and died at the scene.
Forensic analysis of Potter’s phone revealed that during the journey from Glastonbury in Somerset she had taken selfies, chatted on Facebook Messenger and sent text and audio clips.
The last known interaction with her phone began less than 85 seconds prior to her calling 999 in the aftermath of the collision.
The forensic expert concluded that the crash was a consequence solely of her failing to identify a hazard in a timely manner, police said.
In her police interview, Potter – who was 20 at the time of the crash – denied touching her phone and said the scooter had “come out of nowhere” and given her no time to react.
She was also disqualified from driving for 45 months when she appeared for sentencing on Wednesday.
Norfolk Police
‘We will never forgive selfish Potter’
A statement read to the court on behalf of Mr Sinar’s wife Joanne said losing him had made life “unbearable”, robbed his teenage son of a dad, and left his 97-year-old mother “heartbroken”.
In a statement, Mr Sinar’s family said: “Losing Dave has utterly devastated our family.
“We will never forgive Amber Potter for her selfish actions that night and for her conduct following the accident, and are disappointed with [the] sentence.
“Maybe now she will realise that life doesn’t revolve around social media, you don’t need to send that message, or take pictures.
“When you get behind that wheel of your car you are responsible for your actions and, if not, you have to accept the consequences.”
