Midlothian BMW drug driver narrowly missed cyclist and pedestrianbefore hitting lamp post

A drug driver narrowly missed a cyclist and pedestrian before crashing his BMW into a lamp post in Midlothian.

Daryl Hall pled guilty to a charge of dangerous driving when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He was driving with benzoylecgonine in his system, which can form in the body due to cocaine use.

The Daily Record reports how a cyclist had to swerve out his path and a woman had to dive for safety on nearby grass as his car careered towards her in Roslin on June 12 last year.

Fiscal depute Sanah Idrees said the incident took place at around 10am when Hall was driving along Penicuik Road. Witnesses heard Hall’s BMW revving hard then a “bang� as the car hit the kerb.

She said the witnesses saw Hall driving on the wrong side of the road before “bouncing off the kerb which directed the vehicle away from them�.

A woman then jumped onto the grass to avoid being hit as Hall's vehicle continued to bounce off the kerb and verge.

Ms Idrees says Hall forced a cyclist to "swerve to avoid a collision". The BMW then hit a lamp post on the pavement, knocking it over so it lay on top of his vehicle.

Police then attended and they found Hall beside his vehicle with a grazed forehead. (WOT - NO HELMET?)

Ms Idrees said: “The accused stated to the officers that he didn’t know what happened and didn’t remember crashing his car.� He was then taken to hospital.

The BMW suffered “severe front end damage� with its bumper “ripped completely off�.

A blood sample was taken which tested positive for benzoylecgonine. Benzoylecgonine can form in the liver by the metabolism of cocaine.

Hall admitted driving with 204 microgrammes of the substance per litre of blood where the limit is 50mg.

Sheriff Peter McCormack deferred sentence until next month for reports. The sheriff imposed an interim driving disqualification on Hall, of Bilston, until that hearing.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news...rowly-20780880