By Eric King-
Lee Stoodley was drunk and ” drove like a fool” when he recklessly killed his friend, 24 year old Lewis Rogers after a Christmas do in December 2015.
33 year old Lee Stoodley from Somerset had 88 MCG of alcohol in 100ml of breath, when he pressed the accelerator of his BMW , driving like he owned the streets before hitting a traffic island so fast on the A38 causing the BMW to fly in the air and slam into a tree.
Another passenger in the back seat, Dan Reed, was paralysed from the neck down, whilst Rogers was abandoned dead next time Reed.
Taunton crown court heard Stoodley shared ownership of the car with friend Christopher Hampton, and tried to heap the blame on Hampton as the man who was driving, when in fact the pair had taking turns driving that day, but it was Stoodley’s driving that caused Rogers death.
Hampton admitted drink driving and aiding and aiding and abetting Stoodley’s driving, and will be sentenced next month. The sad case is another reminder of the dangers of drunk driving. Driver’s often forget the risks that go with driving and drive without thinking.
On this occasion, it has caused the death of the young man, and the family of the jailed man will be very sad.