A drudged up driver who caused a head-on collision in Sevenoaks whilst driving under the influence of cocaine and cannabis has been jailed for two years.
Aurimas Stipinas left a woman suffering serious injuries after his vehicle veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with her car.
Police were called at around 4pm on 8 February 2020 to Rushmore Hill, Sevenoaks. Stipinas had been driving a Citroen Picasso, which on a bend of the road had crossed into the path of a Fiat 500 heading in the opposite direction. The cars collided causing serious back injuries to a woman driving the Fiat. Stipinas (as well as a passenger) also suffered leg injuries.
He was arrested for failing a roadside drugs test and for driving without insurance. An investigation revealed that prior to the collision Stipinas had been seen by other road users speeding, overtaking and driving on the wrong side of the road. Samples taken also showed levels of cocaine and cannabis in his blood, which were all above the legal limit for driving.
Aged 26, of Whewell Road, Islington, London, Stipinas was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, as well as two counts of driving with a proportion of a controlled drug above the specified limit. He was further charged with driving without insurance. He pleaded guilty and on 12 August was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to two years’ imprisonment. Stipinas was also disqualified from driving for three years. Before he can drive again, he will be required to take an extended test.
Leading the investigation was PC Belinda Croft, who said: ‘Stipinas’ irresponsible and reckless behaviour could easily have had fatal consequences. As it is, his passenger and the victim in the other car have suffered some very serious injuries which could have profound health implications for the rest of their lives. The results of his blood test were alarming and prove he was clearly not in a fit state to drive. He has shown absolutely no regard for the safety of fellow roads users and a custodial sentence was therefore inevitable.’
