55-year-old crashed into van and wheelie bin after taking sleeping pills

A 55-year-old was disqualified from driving after she took sleeping pills before getting behind the wheel and crashing into a van.Sally Black, of Hall View Road in Gaywood, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where she admitted driving while unfit to do so through drugs and failing to stop after a road accident.Crown prosecutor Sarah Fiddy explained that the series of events took place just before 11pm on November 19 last year.

Police were called to Dawbar Close in Fairstead after a resident reported that somebody had smashed their car into a wheelie bin after crashing into a curb.They found Black at the scene, who was then sat in the passenger seat of the Volkswagen Tiguan.There was significant damage to the vehicle and the headlights were smashed. Police believed the damage to the car couldn’t have been from just hitting a curb and investigated further.Not far away, police found a damaged van which had white scuff marks on it, consistent with the damage on Black’s car. She was asked if she was driving at the time – which she initially denied.However, when she was later asked who was driving, she said: “Well, me.”Officers noted that Black looked like she was going to fall asleep, so they decided to carry out a breath test to see if she was drink-driving. However, the test came back negative.Further tests were carried out which came back positive for a type of sleeping pill which has to be prescribed by a doctor – which should not be taken prior to driving.In mitigation, George Sorrell explained that Black had not planned to drive, but got behind the wheel to get to a family member who was “in desperate need of help”.“She received a phone call from her brother who also has health problems, she understood that he was in desperate need of help,” said Mr Sorrell. “She knew having taken this prescribed medication that she shouldn’t drive. She hasn’t done it before and didn’t understand its effect.“She made a serious mistake. She is deeply ashamed of herself.”Black was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £200.She will also pay a victim surcharge of £80 and court costs of £50.