Randalstown drink driver collided with oncoming vehicle after going wrong way along motorway off-slip
A judge said he couldn't imagine a "more dangerous situation" after a drink driver had gone the wrong way along a motorway off-slip and crashed into an oncoming vehicle.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates Court where Deidre Richmond (51), of Ballylurgan Road near Randalstown, admitted charges of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in blood.
Ballymena Magistrates Court was told that at 9pm on April 18 this year a vehicle was travelling on an off-slip at the M2 motorway at Ballymena when headlights approached in the opposite direction. It was the defendant's vehicle and there was a collision.
The other person's vehicle sustained "significant damage" and spun around to face the wrong way on a grass verge. The defendant's vehicle also came to a halt.
The defendant had an alcohol in blood reading of 122 - the legal limit for blood is 80. A defence lawyer said it had been "raining heavily".
He said the defendant was "remorseful" and was "thankful that any injuries sustained by the person in the other vehicle doesn't appear to be serious".
Judge Broderick said it could have been a "major" incident.
He told the defendant: "In many respects the fact that you had the accident on the slip road was maybe a blessing in disguise. If you had continued your journey you'd have ended up driving on the motorway the wrong direction drunk. I can't imagine a more dangerous situation. Thankfully that didn't happen."
The defendant had a clear record. "To address the underlying issues that gave rise to this offence" he put her on Probation for a year. She was also banned from driving for 18 months.