A MAN was drunk and on drugs during a two-car crash that killed a 19-year-old on the Monaro Highway last month, police allege. 

The man, a 28-year-old, has been charged with manslaughter following a reckless incident that Canberra’s top road cop, Insp Donna Hofmeier, said caused an innocent young man’s death.

Police allege that the offender, at about 1am on March 8, was driving a Honda Civic south on the Monaro Highway, near Hume, when he collided with the rear of a Toyota Corolla, driven by the 19-year-old.

Following an investigation, the driver of the Honda has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated dangerous driving, level four drink driving – he had a blood alcohol level of 0.186 – and driving with a prescribed drug in oral fluid – MDMA was detected.

Further blood analysis is in progress.

Investigations indicated that after being hit from behind, the Corolla was spun from the roadway into the centre median where it rolled and struck a tree.

The driver of the Honda Civic, who was not injured, provided a positive screening test for alcohol and drugs at the scene, and was conveyed to hospital for mandatory blood testing, police say.

Investigations identified the offending driver was captured by an ACT government fixed speed camera driving at a speed of 149km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Monaro Highway, Fyshwick.

Further analysis of CCTV recordings of the Honda Civic at locations along the Monaro Highway indicated it was travelling at a speeds exceeding 160km/h in the 80km/h zone moments before the collision, police say.

The man is scheduled to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on June 24.

When commenting on the incident, Insp Hofmeier said: “As a result of one man’s reckless actions, a young man has lost his life in the most tragic circumstances.

“The 19-year-old was a completely innocent party in this collision. There was no street racing and no interactions between the two drivers before the two cars collided.

“We regularly say we are frustrated with drivers that do the wrong thing, but in this case it’s more than frustration, it’s a sense of needless loss.

“We have a young man dead and another facing serious criminal charges for his actions.

“If you are going out this weekend – drink or drive. You can’t do both.”