A lorry driver who was caught driving a 42 tonne truck in Pembrokeshire while, almost four times over the legal drink drive limit, has been sentenced to six weeks imprisonment.
Zigurds Arbidans, aged 62, of Skolas, Ogre, Latvia, a driver with Nolan Transport, was caught by Dyfed Powys Police on the A477 at Sageston, on Monday night (Dec 13) at approximately 22:15hrs.
After pleading guilty to drink driving he was sentenced by magistrates in Llanelli to six weeks imprisonment and has been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving license for three years.
Magistrates said because of the high reading and that Mr Arbidans was driving a HGV as a professional driver, there was no other alternative sentence suitable because of the severity of the offence.
His lowest breathalyser reading was 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit is just 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millitres of breath, meaning he was almost four times over the legal drink drive limit.
Acting Inspector Gary Jones, said: “This is one of the highest readings we’ve ever seen in the county. It’s extremely worrying that this individual was so heavily intoxicated and in charge of such a large vehicle.
“His irresponsible actions could have had devastating consequences for other road users. With that much alcohol in his system there can be no doubt that his ability to safely control a motor vehicle, let alone a 42-tonne lorry, would have been significantly impaired.
“We’re proactively targeting drink drivers and we’ve stepped-up patrols over the Christmas and New Year period. We will robustly deal with offenders and safeguard the majority of law abiding motorists and other road users,” he added.
