A DRIVER from Caterham who killed a pedestrian while drunk and high on cocaine has been jailed.
Thomas Lee, 26, of Money Road, was driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone on February 16 last year when he lost control of his Citroen Saxo in Godstone Road, Purley, Croydon, and struck pedestrian Kremena Mersinkova, 40.
Lee pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was yesterday (February 27) sentenced to five years and seven months behind bars at Croydon Crown Court.
A post-mortem examination gave Mrs Mersinkova's cause of death as multiple injuries.
A urine test showed that Lee was over the drink drive limit and had been taking cocaine and mephedrone.
Mrs Mersinkova was walking home from her job as a cleaner at University College Hospital, in Euston, with her husband Plamen, 45, when Lee's car mounted the pavement near Godstone Road's junction with Little Roke Road.
The couple had been returning to their new home in Whyteleafe, where they had recently moved from Shirley in Croydon.
The car finally came to a stop in the rear garden of a house.
Mr Mersinkova was also injured, suffering a dislocated shoulder and cuts and bruises.
In court, Mr Mersinkova said: "None of these injuries caused me as much pain as I felt when I was searching for my wife who had been thrown into the next garden.
"At the time I prayed to God to save my wife but I knew she was dead. Kremena was the flame of the family. Nothing is the same as before."
All three occupants in the car, two men and a woman, were taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting for treatment but were later discharged, although Lee was later arrested.
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Mick Woollard of the Metropolitan Police's Road Death Investigation Unit, said: "This is a tragic loss of a wife and mother of two daughters.
"Lee took drink and drugs before driving a motor vehicle. I'm sure he regrets his actions and is remorseful but there is a clear message here that driving under the influence can kill people."
