A Drunk Driver’s Reckless Actions Ravage a FamilyA Drunk Driver’s Reckless Actions Ravage a Family On the fateful night of May 31, a drunk driver named Darryl Anderson shattered lives forever, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Anderson, driving under the influence and exceeding 140 mph, plowed into the back of a Peugeot carrying an eight-month-old baby, Zackary Blades, and his aunt, 30-year-old Karlene Warner. The catastrophic crash resulted in their untimely deaths at the scene. Anderson’s reckless actions were compounded by his illegal use of a mobile phone during the journey, further impairing his judgment. Evidence from his phone revealed multiple calls and text messages, including a disturbing photo of his speedometer at 227 km/h shortly before the collision. Following his arrest, Anderson initially concocted a fabricated story, claiming that he had picked up a hitchhiker who drove the car and that he only woke up at the moment of impact. However, forensic analysis debunked his lies, and he pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. In a heart-wrenching testimony, Zackary’s mother, Shalorna Warner, described the horrifying aftermath of the crash. She recalled finding her lifeless baby thrown across the road and expressed her profound devastation at his loss. “I heard a pained scream from the truck driver shouting, ‘Oh no, he’s here – your baby is here.’ I jumped over the edge of the grass of the highway and saw my baby lying there,” she said. Shalorna’s poignant words echoed the immeasurable pain and shattered dreams caused by Anderson’s irresponsible choices. The court sentenced Anderson to 17 years and three months in prison, accompanied by a 21.5-year driving ban. While justice has been served in some form, the victims’ families will forever bear the weight of their loss. “The only way for me to move forward is for the defendant to receive the same sentence I received – life in prison,” Shalorna said. “The irony of it all is that I will never see my loved ones again, but he will.” The tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of irresponsible driving and the importance of adhering to road safety guidelines. The names of Karlene and Zackary will forever live in the hearts of those affected by this senseless tragedy.
A drunk driver who killed a baby and his aunt when he ploughed into the back of their car at 141mph while talking on the phone has been sentenced to prison.
Darryl Anderson was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he rammed the Peugeot 308 being driven by eight-month-old Zackary Blades and his aunt, 30-year-old Karlene Warner, on the A1(M) in the early hours of Friday, May 31.
The duo were fatally injured and died on the spot.
When breathalysed at the side of the road, Anderson was found to have 95mg of alcohol in his blood. The legal limit for driving with alcohol in your blood is 35mg.
Forensic examination of his mobile phone also revealed the 38-year-old had made repeated calls and text messages during his journey from Newcastle Airport up to the time of the collision, which occurred at 3.18am on the A1(M) between Chester-le-Street and Bowburn.
He took a photo of his dashboard just before the collision, which showed the car’s speedometer reading 227 km/h.
Anderson, from Thorpe Hesley, Rotherham, was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
He initially denied the wrongdoing, telling officers he had picked up a hitchhiker outside the airport and allowed him to drive his car.
He claimed that he fell asleep during the journey and only woke up at the moment of the collision.
However, investigators denied that his story was true and he pleaded guilty to both charges.
He appeared in Durham Crown Court today (July 9) where he was sentenced to 17 years and three months in prison.
He was also given a 21.5-year driving ban.
Zackary’s mother, Shalorna Warner, was driving the Peugeot when the crash occurred. She was picking up her sister Karlene from Newcastle Airport.
She bravely stood before the judge today and told of the moment her baby, Zackary, was found on the opposite side of the road by a truck driver after his seat had been thrown from the car.
“I heard a pained scream from the truck driver shouting, ‘Oh no, he’s here – your baby is here.’ I jumped over the edge of the grass of the highway and saw my baby lying there,” she said.
“I knew right away. I had to pick up my dead baby from the side of the road. I hugged him so tight, a hug I will never forget.
“No words can fill the irreparable hole left in my heart and in my life. Zackary was my rainbow baby – he was the light at the end of a tunnel of a very dark time for me and brought joy, happiness and laughter into my life.
“My baby’s future, my future, our life together, has been stolen from me. I will never see him look up and smile at me again. I will not have that luxury. Instead, I will relive every second of every day that night over and over in my head, thinking what did my innocent little boy do to deserve this?
“And for my sister, Karlene, I just have no words. I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s hard to process something that doesn’t seem real – it just feels like I’m living a nightmare.
“I will feel the ripples of this pain for the rest of my life. I don’t know if I will get through this – I am scarred, I am traumatized, I am terrified to live my life.
“The impact of these events will amplify the difficult times and tarnish any good moments I may have, because Zackary and Karlene live in my heart, and I will never live a normal life without them again.”
She turned to the judge and said, “Your Honor, I stand before you today as a broken shell of a woman and a childless mother. But this guilt is not mine to bear—this guilt is owed to the person who caused this unending torment. I hope the pain of this will weigh on them forever.
“Nothing will bring my son and sister back. The only way for me to move forward is for the defendant to receive the same sentence I received – life in prison. The irony of it all is that I will never see my loved ones again, but he will.”
Detective Constable Natalie Horner, of Durham Police’s Collision Investigation Unit, said after the sentencing: “As police officers on the road, we routinely ask people not to drive faster than the speed limit. We routinely ask people not to use their mobile phones while driving. And we routinely ask people not to get behind the wheel if they are drunk.
“Darryl Anderson did all three of these things when he collided with Shalorna Warner’s car, killing both passengers, Karlene and baby Zackary.
“For his actions, Anderson was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison, but it was his victims and their families who received life sentences.
“They are the ones who will mourn the loss of their son, their grandchild, their wife, their sister and their mother for the rest of their lives.
“And for what?”
She added: “I would like to take this moment to express our sincere thanks to those affected by this tragic incident.
“To the witnesses who stumbled upon this crime scene in the middle of the night and who acted with incredible courage, but who should never have witnessed or intervened in this type of event in the first place.
“To our police officers and emergency services colleagues who arrived at the scene immediately after this incident and during the investigation and who will carry the consequences of this crash with them for the rest of their lives.
“And to Shalorna and her family, who have shown truly incredible strength and humility throughout this ordeal, under the most horrific circumstances, and who must now try to rebuild their lives after their loss.
“Darryl Anderson’s name should now become a footnote in this tragic story.
“The names we need to remember, and the people we need to keep in our thoughts, are Karlene and Zackary, and their remarkable family.”
