Death crash driver banned

AN Uckfield woman s careless driving led to the death of a pensioner, a court heard.

Ruth Drinkel, 79, of Rocks Park Road, Uckfield, died when her Volkswagon Polo was involved in a head-on collision with a Ford Mondeo car being driven by Christine Anne King, of Nevill Road.

The crash happened on the A22 north of Nutley in June. Moments before the accident, Mrs King s car had twice been seen to drift onto the wrong side of the road.

The 42-year-old mother of two was banned from driving for a year, fined 750 and ordered to pay 35 costs. The court heard that she had been receiving treatment for mental and physical illnesses, including depression.

Mrs King, who worked at Gatwick Airport, was driving home from a seven-hour shift which had begun at 4am, when the accident happened.

Mrs Drinkel was rushed to the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, along with her husband, Edward, 82, who was driving the VW, plus Mrs King and Alan Wise, 59, whose taxi was also involved in the collision. Mrs Drinkel later died from multiple injuries.

Prosecuter Richard Stevenson said Mrs King s car was seen to 'wander onto the wrong side of the road for a few seconds before returning to the proper lane. He said it was seen to drift across the centre of the road once more before the crash. He added that, according to witnesses, the car did not appear to return to the proper lane as a result of being actively corrected by the driver.

He said that the defendant had not been speeding, nor had she been going 'particularly slowly , and added that no mechanical defects had been found on the car.

Alan Walmsley, for the defence, said that Mrs King had been driving for 20 years without incident. He added that she had been diagnosed with Crohn s Disease, a bowel condition, and had been suffering 'long-term mental problems and was being treated for depression.

'This crash has had a clearly traumatic effect on Mrs King, he said, 'She has given up work as a result of the incident. She has to visit St Mark s Hospital for constant reviews of her Crohn s Disease situation.

Mrs King pleaded guilty to careless driving. Chief magistrate David Foulds said: 'This is a tragic case. I have taken into account your standard of driving prior to the crash and also your guilty plea, but I have also taken into account the severe consequences of the accident.