Drunk lorry driver caught with vodka jailed after hitting parked car, falling asleep and struggling to stand

Menace driver Janis Rimovics, 50, was jailed for four months at Portsmouth Crown Court for his “dangerous” drink-driving where he was over three times the limit.

The court heard how he struck a parked vehicle in Church Lane, Pagham, on August 25 at 8.45pm before driving off at speed into a nearby holiday park which was busy with families and children on a busy Saturday evening during the summer holidays.

Despite there being pedestrians, Rimovics continued to attempt to manoeuvre the lorry before members of the public persuaded him to give up. He then fell asleep in his cab.

Rimovis smelt of alcohol and the police were called. When officers arrived, they found Rimovics too intoxicated to stand. Officers found empty vodka bottles inside the cab of his HGV.

Rimovics, of Station Estate Road, Feltham, was taken to custody where he provided a breath sample. Rimovics provided breath alcohol reading of 128mcg of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Rimovics was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and driving over the alcohol limit.

At Portsmouth Crown Court he was sentenced to four months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Speaking after the case, Acting Sergeant Steven Lambeth from the Roads Policing Unit said: “Rimovics was in charge of a large lorry while more than three times the legal alcohol limit.

“He was in no fit state to drive and was barely able to stand, let alone drive a vehicle, when he arrived in custody.

“Drink-driving is one of the main reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Rimovics posed a serious risk not only to himself, but to every other road user, he is lucky not to have caused serious harm that night.

“We are pleased that a dangerous driver has been taken off our roads.”