Cocaine-fuelled HGV driver disqualified over crash

Smith, 37, must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work, eight days of rehabilitation activity requirement and was ordered to pay GBP1,500 in prosecution costs.

Prior to the crash, which took place at about 06:27 GMT, the defendant – who was driving a blue MAN heavy haulage goods vehicle – had passed several slower moving vehicles, including a mobile crane and a white car in lane two.

He indicated and changed from lane three into lane two without making sufficient checks that it was safe to do so.

Smith collided with a grey Toyota Corolla on the near side, which span out of control across the carriageway and a further five vehicles were then involved in the serious collision.

One vehicle was being driven by a man in his 60s who sustained life-threatening injuries.

Smith was arrested by police more than 100 miles from the scene of the collision and officers found him to be over the prescribed limit for cocaine.

Det Con Peter Hoddy, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “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.”