Drug driver from Northamptonshire jailed for causing death of passenger after he flipped his van on A-road
A drug driver from Northamptonshire has been jailed for causing the death of one of his passengers, during a collision where he flipped his van.
Danny Cohen, of Keats Drive, Towcester, was driving his white Ford Transit van on the A12 near Mountnessing, Essex at around 3.30pm on June 15, 2023 when he lost control, crossed three lanes and struck a barrier.
When the van overturned and came to rest on its side, Cohen and one of his passengers were able to get out but the other passenger, 26 year-old Tom Clark, was trapped inside. Sadly, Tom died at the scene. The passenger who was able to escape from the vehicle sustained serious injuries to his spine, neck and foot, and spent 12 days in hospital.
According to Essex Police, tests showed that Cohen was over the drug drive limit for cannabis at the time of the collision. In interview he also claimed he was driving 70mph, which was the limit for the road but faster than the speed that type of vehicle should have been travelling which was 60mph.
Cohen appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 23, 2025 to be sentenced, after he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
PC Fiona Rayner, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Essex Police, said: “Danny Cohen’s reckless actions cost Tom Clark his life and left another man seriously injured.
“Driving is not a right, it is a privilege and when you get behind the wheel you have a responsibility to your passengers and other road users to be safe.
“Tom was a dearly loved young man and his loss has left his family and partner devastated. I know no sentence will bring him back but I hope this will help them move forward.”
In a statement following the collision in 2023, Tom’s family added: “Tom was a joyful and adventurous young man with a huge heart and an immeasurable zest for life.
“He reached out to people and showed them friendship and support when everyone else had turned their backs and will always be remembered for his huge hugs and infectious giggle.”
Cohen was sentenced to five years in prison and banned from driving for nine and-a-half years.