The other driver suffered a broken sternum in the collision and spent two nights in the hospital’s intensive care unit, with concerns that he might have bruising to his heart.
Prosecuting Advocate Phoebe Cobb said that because of this the defendant was also charged with a new offence – causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Matthew Luscombe, 34, of St John’s Road, St Peter Port, admitted both offences.
The court was told how three cars had been significantly damaged in the collision which occurred in November at about 4.30pm at Amherst Road, near the entrance to Beau Sejour.
Luscombe, who had been driving a blue BMW in the direction of Amherst School, collided with the other car, which in turn was hit by a vehicle that was travelling behind it and unable to stop. The airbags were deployed in all three vehicles and the injured man was initially trapped in his car.
The defendant showed concern for the people in the other cars at the scene. After failing a roadside breath test, he was taken to hospital where he was found to have 171mg of alcohol per 100ml of his blood, twice the legal limit.
In interview later he said he had drunk one pint of lager after having nothing to eat. He recalled the rear end of his car sliding out and apologised for his actions. The court was told how the road was wet and it was dark at the time.
The only other matter on his record was a caution from 2005.
In a victim impact statement, the other driver said he now felt nervous about driving. He kept seeing a vehicle coming towards him on the wrong side of the road and said he had sold his motorbikes.
He underwent a cardio MRI scan in Southampton to assess if he had damage to his heart.
Defending, Advocate Sam Maindonald said her client had had two pints of lager to drink on an empty stomach before the collision.
Judge Gary Perry said two pints of lager would not give someone a blood reading of 171.
Advocate Maindonald said it had been raining heavily at the time but that was not to say that alcohol had not played a part.
Her client had been the first to check on the welfare of other people at the scene.
Judge Perry said that he had noted the references which spoke highly of the defendant, but many people who came before the court for this type of offence were of exemplary previous character.
The court had been concerned for some time about the increasing number of drink-drive cases it was having to deal with and many had high readings.
‘It’s become an epidemic and the court has to treat it seriously,’ he said. ‘This happened near a busy leisure centre and a school and it was totally and utterly irresponsible.’
Luscombe was jailed for four months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and two months, concurrent, for drink-driving.
He was banned from driving for four years, concurrent, on each offence.