A HASELBURY Plucknett man accused of two matters of drug driving after crashing his car and flipping it onto its roof has been ordered to stand trial before Somerset Magistrates.
Connor Jo Walton-Neil was at the wheel of an Audi A3 when it was involved in an accident on the A30, near Haselbury Plucknett.
The defendant had a front seat passenger with him and both managed to leave the scene of the collision after exiting the car, but returned a short time later when police arrived.
After he was found to have two forms of illegal drugs in his system he claimed he had taken them following the crash.
The 24-year-old defendant, of Bramble Lane, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.
He pleaded not guilty to a charge that on August 22 on the A30 at Haselbury Plucknett he drove a vehicle when the proportion of a controlled drug, namely Benzoylecognine in his blood was 513mcg and exceeded the specified limit.
He also denied a second similar allegation involving 12mcg of cocaine that was found in his system, which also exceeded the limit.
Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that the defendant had been driving between Haselbury Plucknett and East Chinnock when he lost control of his car and flipped it over onto its roof.
Both him and his passenger left the scene but when the police attended they returned and he was found to be over the legal limit for both drugs named in the charges.
The court heard that Walton-Neil accepted being the driver of the car but said he suffered an injury during the crash and had taken some drugs and could not recall being interviewed by the police due to concussion.
A review of the case was carried out and the matter was adjourned until February 4 when the defendant was ordered to return to the court for a trial to take place.
In the meantime the magistrates released him on unconditional bail.
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