Lorry Driver on Cocaine Crashes, Killing Motorist on A299
Bradley Simmonds, 49, from West Kingsdown near Sevenoaks, was caught drug-driving when his waste removal lorry smashed into a broken-down car near St Nicholas at Wade. The collision on the A299 proved fatal.
Fatal Crash on Busy Dual Carriageway
On 16 August 2021, Kent Police rushed to a coastbound stretch of the A299 between Herne Bay and a nearby area after reports of a car in a ditch. The driver’s vehicle had broken down, with hazard lights flashing, when Simmonds’ lorry collided with it, forcing it off the road.
Paramedics from the South East Coast Ambulance Service treated the car’s driver for life-threatening injuries. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Drug Tests Reveal Shocking Levels of Cocaine
An investigation by Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit revealed Simmonds had 11 times the legal limit of benzoylecgonine—an indicator of cocaine use—in his blood at the time of the crash.
Simmonds pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the drug limit.
Jail and Long Driving Ban for Lorry Driver
On 14 December 2023, Canterbury Crown Court sentenced Simmonds to four and a half years in prison. He was also banned from driving for 12 years.
Detective Constable Claire Fullagar said: “We are grateful to the witnesses whose reports helped secure this conviction. This tragic incident has devastated the victim’s family, who our specialist officers continue to support. It stands as a stark warning of the catastrophic consequences of taking drugs.”
