Drunk driver ‘driving like a madman’ jailed for killing woman in pedicab crash
A drunk driver who was “driving like a madman” has been jailed for nine years after he killed a woman in a crash with a pedicab.
Luis Fernando Balcazar Soto, 24, of Law Street in Elephant and Castle, was sentenced yesterday at Southwark Crown Court after killing Sophie Strickland, 31, in the crash in New Kent Road in July this year.
Ms Strickland, from Hay-on-Wye in Wales was visiting London to celebrate her birthday.
The court heard that on July 10, 2022, Ms Strickland and a friend had been travelling in the pedicab when they stopped to get cash out.
When Ms Strickland got back into the pedicab, Balcazar Soto’s car smashed into it, throwing her out of it.
The pedicab driver was taken to hospital with a suspected broken arm.
The court also heard Balcazar Soto did not have a licence and was twice over the drink-drive limit at the time of the crash.
He was described by witnesses as reaching speeds of 70moph and “driving like a madman”.
The court heard he tried to run from the scene and threatened to punch members of the public who attempted to stop him, as well as offering them money to let him go.
Balcazar Soto pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, acting in breach of a restraining order by seeing his former partner, and breaching a suspended sentence.
In addition to the jail sentence, he was banned from driving for 10 years and nine months.
In a statement read by prosecutor Fiona Robertson, the victim’s mother, Glynis Strickland, said: “Sophie was my only daughter and was the most beautiful thing in my life.
“As a mother, I can’t imagine any greater pain in my life as losing a child I raised to a beautiful woman. In seconds, my life was devastated.”
Balcazar Soto has four previous convictions for 10 offences, including drink driving and two counts of driving while disqualified, within 10 days of one another.
Pictured top: Luis Fernando Balcazar Soto (Picture: The Met)