One woman drank more than double the allowed alcohol limit before flew over her car on the M25.
Raminta Stonkute, 34, of Fulbourne Road, London, was found guilty of alcohol driving in connection with the incident last year.
The collision occurred on November 11, 2020 at around 2:20 p.m. between exit 25 at Cheshunt and exit 26 at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
Read more: The latest Essex crime news
At a hearing this week (Tuesday October 5), Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard that an officer from the Essex Police Road Police Team witnessed a collision between two cars in the opposite lane of the M25 while on the way to another incident.
Calls received shortly thereafter from members of the public said a white Lexus RX450 had turned over after hitting the median between Exit 25 at Cheshunt and Exit 26 at Waltham Abbey. It then collided with a black BMW X4.
Within ten minutes, the officer who observed the clash changed hands and arrived on site.
Additional emergency services blocked the right-hand lane between the two junctions in order to enable the emergency services to take care of the injured and to prevent further collisions through the rubble.
Part of the counterclockwise lane was also closed to allow the ambulance to land.
The driver of the Lexus, Raminta Stonkute, who had passed out from the force of the impact, was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Her injuries have not been classified as life threatening or life changing.
The driver Raminta Stonkute failed a breath test because she had twice the legal driving license for alcohol
(Image: Essex Police)
After failing a breath test, a blood sample was drawn for processing.
The results showed that she had driven more than twice the legal alcohol limit.
Stonkute was summoned to face drink-driving charges and found guilty yesterday.
On the same day, she was sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid work and was denied driving for 22 months.
She was also sentenced to pay a total of £ 795 in law enforcement costs and victim surcharge.
If you’re looking for a way to keep up with the latest news from across Essex, the EssexLive newsletter is a great place to start.
The twice-daily update delivers the top news and features to your inbox in the morning and in the evening.
We select the most important stories of the day to include in the newsletter, including crime, court news, long reads, traffic and travel, food and drink articles, and more.
Registering for the newsletter is easy. All you have to do is click here and enter your email address.
This is one of the many ways to read EssexLive’s important news.
The chief investigator in the case, Sergeant Will Wilsher of our road police team, said, “There will never be an excuse to justify drinking and driving.
“Not only could Stonkute have been seriously injured, but also seriously injured her passenger and anyone unlucky enough to get in the way of their car.
“Despite a significant delay in getting a sample for testing of almost 5 hours, it was still more than double the legal limit when traveling at speed on a freeway.
“This collision and the considerable delay for our road users could easily have been prevented.
“I would like to thank everyone who called back with information and waited patiently while we were there.”
Sergeant Wilsher added, “My team and any emergency response teams involved in collisions are working together to get our communities moving as quickly as possible while ensuring that everyone can get home safely afterwards.
“I can assure you that we want to reopen the streets as soon as possible, just like you.
“If you get stuck in a traffic jam after a collision or a road closure by emergency services, please stay in your vehicle. If you move to let emergency vehicles through, please do not move out, as others will often follow.
“Please also think about road closures, because they have a reason. Can you really justify preventing an ambulance from performing potentially life-saving treatment?
“If you witness a collision, especially if part of the road is closed, please do not assume that someone else has called. In an emergency, call us on 101 or 999. The more information you can provide, the better. ”
Last month, The Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) launched Vision Zero with a goal of having ZERO traffic fatalities and serious injuries on roads in the Essex, Southend and Thurrock municipal areas by 2040.
Essex Police said these goals cannot be achieved through SERP alone and they require the assistance of drivers.
To find out how you can help, visit www.saferessexroads.org/visionzero.
Want the latest Essex news straight to your inbox? Sign up here.
