A woman has been jailed for drink-driving and drug-driving after losing control of her vehicle and crashing into two cars, killing one of the other drivers.
Sarah Hand 50, was found to be twice the legal drink drive limit as well as having traces of cocaine and cannabis in her system following the accident in Cambridgeshire on 22 December.
Hand was driving towards Linton when she veered onto a grass verge on her side of the dual carriageway. She lost control of her vehicle as she over-corrected, crossing into oncoming traffic where she hit two other cars, one of them head-on.
Gail Brown, 56, who was on her way home for Christmas, was killed in the head-on collision while David Percy suffered minor injuries. Hand sustained a broken pelvis.
Hand told a passing motorist who stopped at the scene: “I’m not going to lie, I’ve been drinking“, and then put her head in her hands, saying, “what have I done?”.
During interview, Hand told police that she had only had the equivalent of two shots each of gin and vodka, but tests showed her to have 162mg alcohol per 100ml blood, more than twice the legal limit, as it transpired she had also been drinking in the morning.
Tests also revealed that she had ten times the prescribed limit of Benzoylecgonine (BZE) – the metabolised form of cocaine – in her system, and was also over the limit for cannabis.
Judge Stuart Bridge told her “you were an accident waiting to happen” and that she had an “utterly cavalier and reckless approach to driving that day”.
John Dye, mitigating, said that Hand had a history of alcoholism as well as suffering complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also saying “She accepts and knows full well the misery she caused will not go away.”
In tears throughout, Hand pleaded guilty to drink-driving, drug-driving, and causing death by careless driving.
She was sentenced to eight years in prison and banned from driving for 14 years.
About Carl Millar
Carl Millar is a highly respected and experienced drink driving solicitor who is the principal of Millars Solicitors.
Carl has been a specialist in road traffic law for many years and represents clients from all walks of life and all over the Country. He is well known for the dogged defending of his clients and robust cross examination of police officers and exert witnesses.
With a wealth of expertise in motoring law Carl is well placed to provide advice over the phone and deal with all road traffic matters in a calm and professional way.
Getting in contact with Carl and Millars Solicitors is really easy. You can call him FREE on 0800 999 5535, or click here to send a confidential message.
