Driver out of control

Found foaming at mouth

A driver who had taken a cocktail of drugs was found foaming at the mouth by the side of a busy motorway.

Christian Calderwood drove more than 25 miles on the M80 and the M9 after taking both prescription and illicit drugs.

On Wednesday, the 42-year-old appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to driving while unfit to do so on May 23 of last year.

The court heard that morphine, codeine, methadone, EDDP (a metabolite of methadone), benzoylecognine and etizolam were found in Calderwood’s bloodstream after he stopped close to the Keir Roundabout in Dunblane.

Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr said that Calderwood had first been spotted driving erratically at the M80 near Blochairn at around 5pm.

He said: “Another driver became aware of a silver Vauxhall Astra driven by the accused. It was being driven in an erratic manner, swerving from one lane to another.”

The car was seen to continue northbound onto the M9. At around 5.30pm, a lorry driver reported that a Vauxhall Astra had almost collided with the rear of his vehicle.

The vehicle was described as swerving from the outside lane onto the hard shoulder. Mr Kerr said: “At Junction 10 (Craigforth) the vehicle travelled onto the slip road for traffic entering the motorway. The witness thought the accused was stopping on the hard shoulder, however the Astra continued onto the motorway.”

The lorry driver decided to try and halt the car on the approach to the Keir Roundabout, coming slowly to a stop in front of Calderwood’s vehicle.

Calderwood was found slumped at the wheel of the car by other motorists, who removed the keys from the car’s ignition. Mr Kerr added: “Witnesses observed that the accused appeared to be confused. He was foaming from the mouth with what appeared to be white powder around his mouth.”

Police arrived at around 5.45pm and Calderwood was struggling to stay awake. Two samples of his blood were taken, and traces of the six substances were discovered.

Defending, Frazer McCready said: “He received a telephone call from his partner, making a request that he travel up to a campsite near Stirling with medication of hers that was in a rucksack.”

He continued: “It is clear that this is an example of someone who is unfit to drive through taking both prescription and illicit drugs.”

Calderwood, of Townhead in Kirkintilloch, was issued with an 18 month community payback order with supervision, and banned from driving for two years.