Lorry driver high on cocaine who caused seven-car pile up spared jail

A lorry driver who caused a seven-car motorway pile up while high on cocaine has been spared jail.

Alan Smith has been banned from driving for three-and-a-half years following the crash, which left a man in his 60s in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Mr Smith changed lane in his MAN heavy haulage goods vehicle on the M25 near St Albans, Hertfordshire, in February last year. He was “driving dangerously”, according to Hertfordshire Police who also described him as a “reckless man”.

Dashcam footage of the incident shows the 37-year-old collided with a grey Toyota Corolla, which spun out of control across the carriageway, causing a further five vehicles to become embroiled in a pile-up.

The lorry driver did not stop at the scene but was tracked down over 100 miles from the collision by officers, where he tested positive for cocaine use.

Mr Smith, of Poynton in Stockport, Cheshire, pleaded not guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drug driving in October but changed his plea to guilty before his trial.

He appeared at St Albans Crown Court on July 10 where he was banned from driving for three-and-a-half years and handed a 24-month suspended sentence. He was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and fined £1,500.

Det Con Peter Hoddy, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire serious collision investigation unit, said: “While the pain and suffering for those involved in the collision will be hard to forget, I hope that this result from the court has sent out a strong warning to anyone who believes they are above the law.

“Driving dangerously and driving under the influence of drugs will not be tolerated in Hertfordshire and those who commit such offences will be dealt with.”