A21 crash driver ‘had been drinking’

A KENT man was more than two-and-half times over the legal drink drive limit when he was involved in a serious accident on the A21, a court heard.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Sep 2012, 12:00 BST

Joseph Pearce, of Annison Street, Tonbridge, was driving a Vauxhall Astra van south along the A21 when it left the road near John’s Cross and hit a tree at around 9.40pm on Wednesday September 19.

Pearce, 27, was breathalysed and found to have 90mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is just 35mcg.

Pearce pleaded guilty to one charge of driving with excess alcohol, one charge of driving whilst disqualified and one charge of driving without insurance when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court last Friday (September 21).

Pearce was remanded in custody and will reappear before Hastings Magistrates Court on October 5 to be committed for sentencing.

* A 21-year-old female passenger, who was seriously injured in the crash, remains in a stable condition in hospital.

Kent