Thomas Crowe of Martlesham disqualified for drug driving

Thomas Crowe, 31, was convicted of drug driving and using a vehicle in a dangerous condition on the A12.

The charges relate to an incident that happened on October 8 last year when officers on patrol discovered an abandoned Ford Fiesta on the A12 at Martlesham, partially in the inside lane. 

While police were present, Crowe returned to the car with a fuel can and stated he was the owner of the vehicle and he had run out of fuel.

The car was found to have a smashed windscreen.

The smashed windscreen inside the car (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Officers towed the car to a safe location in Eagle Way and Crowe then failed a roadside drug wipe which gave a positive indication for cocaine.

He was arrested and taken to Martlesham police investigation centre, where an evidential sample of blood was taken. 

When the results of the blood test came back, it showed Crowe had Benzoylecgonine - the major metabolite of cocaine - in his system, at a level of 384 micrograms per litre of blood, more than seven times the legal limit of 50mcg per litre. 

The damaged Ford Fiesta (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Crowe, of Horseman Court in Martlesham, pleaded guilty to driving with excess drugs, using a motor vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger or injury and causing an unnecessary obstruction by a motor vehicle.

He appeared at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 25, where he was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

He was also fined £150 and ordered to pay a £108 victim surcharge and £50 in costs. 

PC Will Hudson, of Suffolk police, said: “To drive with that amount of drugs in your system is dangerous enough, but this was then compounded by the fact that the car was not in any state to be driven, with visibility severely impeded by the smashed windscreen. 

Crowe was disqualifed from driving for 18 months (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

“Crowe was then also happy to leave his car partially in a live lane of a dual carriageway after he ran out of fuel, which could have also caused a collision.

"Ordinarily when people break down in a dangerous location, they would call the police for help – clearly Crowe was hoping to avoid any attention from us due to the offences he had committed. 

“Drug and drink driving is one of the ‘fatal four’ main causes of fatal and serious injury collisions and we enforce this 365 days a year.

"Our message is clear – don’t do it, it is not worth the risk.”