A drunken driver who snapped a photo showing he was speeding at 141 mph before a deadly crash in England has been sentenced to 17 years in prison

Darryl Anderson was drunk behind the wheel of his Audi SUV, had his accelerator pressed to the floor and was barreling toward a car ahead of him when he snapped a photo of his speedometer. The picture showed a car in the foreground, a collision warning light on his dashboard and a speed of 141 mph (227 kph).

An instant later, he slammed into the car in the photo. The driver, Shalorna Warner, was not seriously injured but her 8-month-old son and her sister were killed instantly, authorities said. Evidence showed Anderson never braked.

Anderson, 38, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years in prison for the May 31 crash in northern England that killed little Zackary Blades and Karlene Warner. Anderson pleaded guilty last week in Durham Crown Court to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

  • Archelon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    105·
    4 months ago

    Anderson lied to police, saying a hitchhiker was driving at the time of the crash.

    Prosecutor Emma Dowling said a roadside breath test showed Anderson was nearly three times over the limit driving after drinking. An empty vodka bottle was found in his car.

    Witnesses later reported that he had been driving dangerously for 20 miles (32 kilometers) and his phone showed he had been sending text messages.

    At a police station, he told officers he had driven into the back of a car.

    “Sometimes mistakes happen," he said. "But I’m not a bad person.”

    Sometimes mistakes happen!!!??? My dude, you murdered two people out of sheer recklessness and negligence and then lied about it. You don’t get to excuse your behaviour by saying “oh, I’m not a bad person…”

    Take some fucking responsibility. Although, I guess if you were capable of taking responsibility for your actions you wouldn’t be on your phone while driving double the highway speed limit and drunk off your ass.

    • Otakulad@lemmy.worldEnglish
      40·
      4 months ago

      Reading this, he was probably still very drunk when he said it. Doesn’t make him any less of a POS.

      Also, alcohol generally makes someone tell the truth, so I’m guessing his only remorse is I got caught.

      • rekorse@lemmy.worldEnglish
        15·
        4 months ago

        Thats a myth about telling the truth. People change more and more the more they drink and the more often they drink. Its not a more honest version of them coming out, just a different one.

    • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      4 months ago

      Not a bad way person? Holy crap at this list of ways he endangered people and recklessly murdered two. He deserves more than 17 years