The dangerous-looking incident occurred on Tuesday, May 26, after 5 p.m., in Lubin municipality. Police received a report about a Mercedes driver who was probably driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the witness, the man had trouble not only keeping the car on the road, but even putting on his shoes.
The car was in a roadside ditch. The witness tried to help the driver get out of the trap, but gave up when the man began behaving aggressively. He immediately notified the emergency services about the entire incident.
A moment later, another report reached the duty officer. This time it concerned a burning Mercedes in the ditch and a man who was trying to put out the fire himself. Firefighters and a police patrol were dispatched to the scene.
When the officers arrived, the driver was no longer there. Firefighters began extinguishing the fire, while police officers started searching for the man.
Shortly afterward, officers spotted a man matching the description of the Mercedes driver at a nearby bus stop. This time he was wearing his shoes, but his condition left no doubt—he was completely drunk.
The 44-year-old initially denied any connection to the incident and insisted to the officers that he had nothing to do with the burning car. However, one detail quickly gave him away. His hands were... burned.
After a while, he admitted that he had been driving the Mercedes. Police determined that the car belonged to the man’s father.
The 44-year-old’s problems did not end there. A check of police databases showed that his driving privileges had been revoked. A breathalyzer test, meanwhile, showed as much as 2.2 per mille of alcohol in his system.
The Lubin resident was arrested and taken to a police cell. After sobering up, he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He faces up to 3 years in prison.
Police once again remind the public that alcohol and driving are a combination that is deadly dangerous. This time no one was injured, but the situation could have ended in tragedy.