A drunk wedding guest ploughed his car into a bridge as he tried to leave an upmarket Northumberland hotel.
Curtis Davies had been celebrating a friend’s nuptials at Charlton Hall, near Alnwick, when he decided to get behind the wheel of his car, despite the DJ having witnessed him drinking booze “all evening”. A court heard that the 31-year-old crashed his black Peugeot into a bridge on the only road leading out of the estate, leaving it blocked.
The police were called and Davies was arrested after failing a roadside breath test. However, he refused to answer questions in interview, so police had to send blood from his vehicle’s airbag off for forensic analysis to prove he’d been driving at the point of impact.
The dad-of-two, of Rylestone Close, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has now been banned from the roads for 22 months after he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court. Prosecutor, Glenda Beck, said the DJ at the wedding had been driving away from the hotel at around 12.45am on September 10 last year.
Mrs Beck continued: “He was heading towards a small bridge and came across a Peugeot, which had collided with the bridge, causing damage and blocking the exit. He saw a male crawling around inside the vehicle.
“The defendant got out the vehicle and [the DJ] noted it was a male from the wedding he’d been working at who had been drinking alcohol all night. The male showed signs of intoxicated and said “I’ve had a little bump”.”
The court heard that the DJ drove Davies back to the hotel and the police were called. Officers attended and noted that the driver’s airbag inside the Peugeot had blood on it and Davies had injuries to his head.
Davies failed a roadside breath test, later giving a reading of 70mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is 35mcg. Mrs Beck added: “The defendant was arrested and interviewed but made no-comment to questions asked.
“Because he made no comment, his airbag was sent for forensic analysis. Following that analysis, it was confirmed that the defendant was the driver at the point of impact.”
Joshua Peacock, defending, said Davies had no past convictions, had two very young children and suffered from depression. He added: “He’s pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity. This is very much out of character.”
As well as the ban, Davies was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £120 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/drunk-wedding-guest-crashed-car-31027988
