Crawley lorry driver involved in fatal Horsham crash '˜11 times the drug-drive limit'

A Crawley lorry driver who was involved in a fatal crash in Horsham was more than 11 times the drug-drive limit, police have said.

Ryan Bosher was arrested and charged with drug-driving following a crash at the junctions of Comptons Lane and Heron Way on Tuesday July 5.

The collision occurred at about 10.40am and involved a Volvo tipper truck a Citroen C4 taxi.

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A spokesman for Sussex police said: “The driver of the Citroen, 68-year-old Peter Etherington, of Capricorn Close, Crawley, sadly died at the scene.

“He suffered a medical episode at the wheel, which caused his car to go into the path of the oncoming lorry.”

Two 15-year-old boys, who were passengers in the car, were treated for injuries.

Bosher, 35, of Eddington Hill, Crawley, was charged with driving with 589mcg of benzoylecgonine (the major metabolite of cocaine) per litre of blood in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

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Officers said he pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (September 13) and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He was also fined £300, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Inspector Stewart Goodwin, of the West Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said: “Due to the nature of the collision, Bosher was required to provide two roadside screening tests – a specimen of breath revealed a result of zero, however a specimen of saliva (using a drug wipe kit) revealed he was more than 11 times the legal limit for benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of cocaine.

“Although he was not directly at fault for this tragic incident in which a man lost his life, the overwhelming reading he gave for drug-driving meant he still clearly posed a major risk to himself and other road users.

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“Driving while over the limit of drink or drugs is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated by police. Anyone caught doing so will be dealt with accordingly, as Bosher has learned.

“While nothing can change what happened on that tragic day, his immediate disqualification from driving means our roads in Sussex will be a safer place.”

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