Speeding drink driver high on cocaine left work mates dead in horror van crash
A dad-of-five has been jailed after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
Darren Burton, 41, was over the drink and drug limits and speeding when he lost control of his van and smashed into a metal barrier, flinging two of his passengers out the back.
Allan Reeve, 42, and Andrew Calf, 62, both died at the scene after suffering horrific injuries in the crash, Derbyshire Live reports.
Zoe Reeve, the wife of Allan and daughter of Andrew, was also in the van when it crashed and said in a victim impact statement that she was desperately running between her husband and father as they lay dying in the road.
"It was devastating to see them both with such horrific injuries," she explained.
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Allan Reeve, 42, was thrown out the back of the van and died at the scene (Derbyshire Live WS)Jailing Mr Burton for four years and eight months, Judge David Fletcher said: "A combination of underinflated tyres, the rain, the excessive speed, your assessment of what to do when you were overtaken by another vehicle and that you were over the drink and drug drive limits caused this tragedy.
"Both of the men were flung out of the door and suffered catastrophic injuries which led to their deaths.
"You took a risk which was unnecessary and resulted in this catastrophe for a family that have not just lost a father but a father, a husband and a grandfather."
Steve Bailey, prosecuting, said the incident took place outside Rollerworld, in Mansfield Road, Derby, on the evening of June 18 last year.
He said Mr Calf, Mr Reeve and the defendant had been drinking in the Paddock pub just 500m from the crash site.
Mr Burton was thought to be travelling at around 50mph when he crashed (Derby Telegraph)The prosecutor said the group had been planning on going to watch boxing at Rollerworld and because it was raining, Burton, who later admitted he'd drank three pints of Guinness, offered to drive as he "felt unaffected by the drink as he habitually drinks 20 pints a day".
Mrs Reeve got into the front of the van with another passenger and put her seat belt on but her husband and father got in the back of the van which contained five 25kg bags of cement and had no seats or seat belts.
He said that as they approached Rollerworld, Burton's van was overtaken by another car and he sped after it before losing control and hitting the barriers.
The prosecutor said: "He was affected by drink and drugs and lost his temper and judgement. A reconstruction report later concluded he was travelling at 51mph in a 40mph limit."
Mrs Reeve was in court alongside Mr Calf's wife, Melanie.
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Both had their victim impact statements read out.
Mrs Reeve said: "We have been together a long time and have two sons together aged 12 and nine, we were a happy family. I feel devastated that both my husband and father were taken from me in one night."
Mrs Calf said she and her husband had been together for 37 years and married for 32.
She said: "My life has a huge void, it's been left empty, I don't really feel I have a purpose in life anymore."
Burton pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
He has a previous conviction for being in charge of a vehicle while over the legal limit when police found him asleep in his van surrounded by 11 cans of lager in 2015.
Justin Ablott, mitigating, said his client has five children and has never been into custody before.
He said: "He has never tried to place the blame anywhere, he is devastated by what he did and what happened to people he considered friends. If he could exchange places with the two men who lost their lives he could, but he can't."
As well as the jail sentence, Judge Fletcher disqualified Burton from driving for nine years and four months.
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