Driver who caused Fishguard to Haverfordwest road crash was on cocaine

On May 14, a large section of the A40 Haverfordwest to Fishguard road was closed for a number of hours after Matthew Turner, of Llys yr Onnen, Wolfscastle, crashed into two vehicles as he sped up the highway.

Police bodycam footage showed the devastation caused by Turner, 33, with cars strewn across the side of the road.

All three vehicles were written off, with one car having the front wheel entirely ripped off.

At Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on June 8, Turner was given a suspended prison sentence as well as being disqualified from driving for 21 months.

He was also made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work for charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and driving while disqualified.

At the time of the crash Turner was serving a 12-month ban implemented in February for a previous drink-drive offence.

During the case in June a fourth offence of driving on cannabis was withdrawn, but today it was revealed that Turner had in fact been on drugs at the time of the crash, namely cocaine.

Turner was in the dock facing two charges, one of driving on cocaine and one of driving on benzoylecgonine – a derivative of taking cocaine.

It was revealed he was over six times the limit for cocaine.

Turner pleaded guilty to both charges.

In mitigation defence solicitor David Williams said his client had gone on something of a ‘drug spree’ after suffering painful side effects to the second Covid jab.

Mr Williams went on to say that despite his client being in the dock again after being given a suspended sentence order, because the charge of driving on cocaine was committed during the crash, it could not be activated.

Probation officer Julie Norman confirmed that since his sentencing in June, Turner had fully complied with probation and so far done 20 hours unpaid work.

The damage caused in the crash in June

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Three cars were written off in the incident

After the crash in June one of the victims described how the impact of her injuries are not yet known, with the incident leaving her with a string of health problems including bladder incontinence.

Other victims of the crash included a mother giving her daughter a lift to Haverfordwest train station.

For the offence of driving on cocaine Turner was given a three-year driving ban.

He was also fined £120 and made to pay a £34 surcharge.