Teen driver sentenced for drug-induced collision
Daniel Berncastel, 19, faces nearly two years in detention after causing a head-on crash while under the influence of cannabis, leaving two people with serious injuries.
A 19-year-old from Colchester has been sentenced to detention in a young offender institution following a head-on collision that seriously injured two people. Daniel Berncastel, of West End Road, Tiptree, was sentenced to 23 months after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The incident occurred on July 6, 2023, when Berncastel drove along Oak Road, Rivenhall, towards the A12 at speeds exceeding the 30mph limit. He was traveling at 50mph when he lost control on a left-hand bend and drove on the wrong side of the road, colliding with an oncoming minibus.
The collision caused significant damage, rendering both vehicles total losses. Berncastel suffered minor seatbelt injuries, but his passenger, who required extraction from the vehicle by fire services, sustained spinal injuries necessitating ongoing rehabilitation.
The minibus, which was transporting five people with disabilities, was also severely impacted. The driver was hospitalized with multiple injuries, including a partially collapsed lung and broken bones.
Tests confirmed Berncastel was over the legal limit for cannabis at the time of the crash. In addition to his sentence, Berncastel is required to pay £500 in compensation to each victim and faces a driving ban of two years and eleven months, along with a mandatory re-test before he can regain his license.
PC Matthew Mehen of the Roads Policing Unit emphasized the broader implications of such reckless behavior. "The roads are for everyone’s use, but we all need to be responsible and share the roads safely and watch out for each other," he stated. "Speeding in this way has impacted hugely on the lives of those involved, but was completely unnecessary and the collision could have been prevented. The speed limit is there for a reason and drug driving, under any circumstances, can have catastrophic consequences."