A garage boss crashed his BMW twice after being left ‘high for days’ by dodgy valium he bought over the internet, a court heard.
Darren Hay was spotted driving erratically by worried motorists who bombarded police with calls to report him.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the 48-year-old purchased valium online which turned out to be “strong”.
His lawyer said he’d taken the pills at the weekend and was “still suffering” the effects on the Tuesday when he got behind the wheel.
Sheriff Alison Stirling said it had been a “shocking piece of driving” and called for reports to determine whether Hay had a drug problem.
Hay appeared at the court on Wednesday and admitted driving while unfit through drugs.
Fiscal depute Emma Todd said it was 8am when cops received numerous calls about a BMW X6 travelling north on the A1 which was “all over the road”.
Ms Todd said police were alerted at 8.20am to the car being on Sir Harry Lauder Road where it had struck the central reservation before continuing on.
The court heard the BMW struck a woman’s car on Restalrig Road at 8.34am. She called police as Hay, who was its driver, “wasn’t making any sense and appeared to be under the influence”.
Ms Todd said Hay gave a negative breath test for alcohol but a blood test later detected diazepam.
Defence agent Gillian Simpson said her client owned a garage and body shop and had six employees.
Ms Simpson said Hay bought “illicit valium” over the internet to help him cope with the strain of his then-partner’s health problems. She said the pills turned out to be “strong” and “he suspects it wasn’t what he purchased”.
The solicitor said Hay was still feeling the effects a number of days after taking it.
Ms Simpson said Hay was checked into Castle Craig Hospital, a drug rehab clinic in Peebleshire, by his partner as he “still seemed to be under the influence” six days after the crash.
The rehab stint cost Hay £5000, the court was told.
Sheriff Stirling said Hay’s driving on October 1 2019 could’ve led to people being killed.
The sheriff also raised concerns about Hay’s 2015 conviction for growing ten cannabis plants in his garage.
Sheriff Stirling deferred sentence until next month for reports to help determine if Hay, of the city’s Little France area, had drug issues. Hay was banned from driving in the interim.
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