Driver flipped car while drunk

Saturday 13 June 2020

A 30-year-old man has been disqualified from driving for five years after hitting a grass bank and rolling his van onto its side while over the drink drive limit.

Daniel Edward Evans, 30, was disqualified from driving until 2025 following his second drink-driving offence in five years.

The incident happened at 7.30 on 21 April when the Hyundai van Evans was driving collided with a grass bank along Valnord Lane, causing the vehicle to roll over onto its side. 

There were no injuries to Evans or to the passenger who was in the van at the time of the crash. 

Police were called to the scene and Evans failed a roadside breath test before taking two further tests at the station, the lowest of which produced a reading of 80 micrograms per 100ml of breath, which is more than twice the 35mcg limit. 

The Prosecution reported that Evans said the steering wheel had locked, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, however police found it to be in working order when inspecting the van. 

Evans' Advocate Julia Schaefer said her client had not been able to work during the corona virus lockdown, was experiencing difficulty sleeping and was going through serious relationship issues. 

Pictured: Evans avoided a custodial sentence for the drink driving offence. 

Evans had offered to give a friend a lift to help them out and get some much-needed social contact but had "drunk too much" the night before. He drunk a further can of Breda but did not feel drunk and was "shocked" by the alcohol reading.

"Mr Evans knows that the Court does not take drink driving lightly and that he was incredibly fortunate that no one was injured in the incident," said Advocate Schaefer.

He was described as a "hard worker" and losing his driving licence would be significant for him as he drove regularly as part of his job.

However, Judge Graeme McKerrell said the 30-month driving ban that Evans received in 2015 for drink driving was a "crippler" to his chances of avoiding a further disqualification from driving. 

Judge McKerrell said that he did not underestimate the effect that the corona virus lockdown has had on some people's mental health and employment. 

"That being said, if you transgress there has to be consequences."

As it was a second offence committed just two years after Evans had been allowed back on the roads, Judge McKerrell said a longer sentence was necessary as he dished out a five-year driving ban.