Driver High on Drink and Drugs Kills Mate in Horror Crash
A motorist blasted down the A21 while smashed on drink and drugs, killing his best mate in a grisly crash. Ionut Dumitru, 31, was behind the wheel of a grey BMW 5 Series when he careered off the road at Flimwell and slammed into a tree.
Crash Claims Life of Front Seat Passenger
The smash happened just after midnight on 14 December. Dumitru’s friend and housemate, 24-year-old Marius-Madalin Bizoi, was in the front passenger seat. The pair had been heading to a petrol station to buy cigarettes but never made it.
Other drivers stopped to help, but Dumitru legged it from the scene before emergency crews arrived. Police later found him asleep at home and hauled him in for questioning.
Blood Tests Reveal Toxic Mix of Cocaine and Booze
Tests showed Dumitru’s blood contained a staggering 267mcg of benzoylecgonine per litre – that’s nearly six times the legal limit for cocaine’s metabolite of 50mcg. His blood alcohol level was 221mg per 100ml, almost three times the UK limit of 80mg.
Multiple Driving Offences Lead to Jail Time
Dumitru was charged with causing death by careless driving under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. He was also charged for driving without a licence and without insurance. In court, he pleaded guilty to all counts.
Judge Christie Laing QC slammed Dumitru for his reckless behaviour. She said:
“Marius Bizoi was 24 years old with his whole life ahead of him. You chose to drive an unfamiliar car when you had taken Class A drugs. Your blood showed almost six times the reading for cocaine’s breakdown product. Even if it was the first time you took drugs, you were more than twice the drink-drive limit.”
Dumitru was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court to six years in prison and banned from driving for eight years. The judge reduced the sentence by a third thanks to his early guilty plea.
Repeat Offender Ignored Previous Warns
The grim crash wasn’t Dumitru’s first brush with the law. Less than three weeks earlier, he was nailed for drink-driving, driving uninsured, and unlicensed in Surrey. Back then, he was disqualified for 20 months and fined.
Detective Inspector Sue Neilson of Sussex Police warned:
“Drink and drug-driving destroys lives. Here, a young man lost his life while the driver walked away. This must be a wake-up call to anyone tempted to drive under the influence. It’s simply not worth the risk.”
Think Twice Before Drinking and Driving
If you’re caught driving drunk or high, expect serious consequences:
- Risk killing or injuring yourself or others
- A minimum 12-month driving ban
- Unlimited fines
- Possible prison sentences
- Criminal record affecting work prospects
- Increased car insurance costs
- Travel restrictions to countries like the USA
Don’t gamble with lives on the road. Dumitru’s reckless choices ended a young life and shattered families forever.
