Drink driver crashed into back of tanker on A19 sending crash debris onto following police car

Arran Lavelle, 23, overtook officers as he looked for the northbound exit on the A19 dual carriageway at Washington at around 6.20am on Saturday, January 15.

But Lavelle, of Windsor Terrace South, Murton, misjudged his manoeuvre and struck the larger vehicle – and then sped off.

Police pursued him and when pulled over found he was carrying three passengers – and was twice the drink-drive limit.

Magistrates heard Lavelle was the cause of his own misfortune, having been drinking while suffering pancreatitis, meaning he cannot quickly process alcohol.

Prosecutor Lillian Yanes Hellevik said: “Officers were on the A19 in the nearside lane behind a tanker.

“They saw the defendant’s Skoda Octavia pass them at speed and witnessed the defendant’s vehicle drive straight into the rear of the tanker.

“It caused loud noises and caused debris to hit the police car’s windscreen and bonnet.

“The Skoda lost control and bounced off the tanker and into cones, and drove off.

“The officers caught up with the Skoda and there were two males and two females in it.”

Lavelle gave a breath test reading of 69mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving while disqualified.

Richard Copsey, defending, said Lavelle had been drinking with friends in the Murton area until midnight and was driving them home to Sunderland.

He also said the defendant had been banned from driving under the totting up process in his absence and was unaware of the disqualification.

Mr Copsey added: “He has pancreatitis and had been out the night before and thought he was ok to drive.

“He knows that he shouldn’t drink and should not drive for 24 hours afterwards.

“He clipped the side of his car, it’s an aggravating feature. He misjudged the situation when he tried to turn off the road.”

For drink driving, Lavelle was banned from the roads for 18 months and fined £200, with £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

There was no separate penalty for driving while disqualified.