Alicia Brunskill (left) and Alex Nicholson (right) had been out at the pub before the accident (Pictures: Cumbria Police)
A woman who killed her best friend in a crash while driving drunk and high on cocaine has been jailed.
Alex Nicholson, 26, got behind the wheel of a mate’s car on May 26 last year, after a night of drinking and doing drugs at a pub in Kendal, in the Lake District.
She was driving with several passengers, including 27-year-old Alicia Brunskill, when she ‘lost control’ and flipped the black Ford Fiesta.
Alicia tragically died in the wreckage.
Nicholson was arrested and then taken to hospital with two of others who were also in the car.
Preston Crown Court on Friday jailed Nicholson for causing death without due care while unfit through drugs for five years.
She was also disqualified from driving for four years six months.
Nicholson was jailed and disqualified from driving for four years six months (Picture: Cumbria Police)
Alicia Brunskill was just 27 years old when she died in the tragic car crash (Picture: Cumbria Police)
Detective superintendent Dave Cooper said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family of Alicia Brunskill, who died because her friend, Alex Nicholson, was driving whilst under the influence of drugs.
‘It is never acceptable for a person to get behind the wheel of a vehicle whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
‘The consequences are all too often catastrophic for everyone involved and in this case a family have needlessly lost a loved one.
‘This was not a case of a tragic incident or accident, this was a decision made by Nicholson to commit an offence that resulted in the death of another human being, her friend, and was entirely avoidable.
‘Not only has a life been lost but the lives of all those involved have been devastated for a lifetime.
‘Our message and appeal is clear – do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and do not get into a vehicle if you suspect the driver is under the influence.
‘Death and seriously injury is the likely consequence and regardless of any custodial sentence, a life sentence of guilt and regret is inevitable.’
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The driver ‘lost control’ and flipped the car.