They Had Around 2 Promille and Tried to Deceive the Police. Cameras Recorded Everything

During a nighttime patrol, officers from the Traffic Division of the Lubin District Police Headquarters noticed a Ford driver who failed to stop at a STOP sign. The officers immediately intervened, using their light and sound signals.

The driver pulled into a car park and stopped the vehicle. When the officers approached the car, a 21-year-old resident of Legnica was already sitting behind the wheel. The man was visibly nervous, and a strong smell of alcohol could be detected from him. A breathalyzer test showed approximately 2 promille of alcohol in his system. In addition, the man admitted that he had never held a driving licence.

The officers nevertheless became suspicious about the course of events. A review of city surveillance footage dispelled all doubts. The recording showed that immediately after entering the car park, the men quickly swapped seats.

As the police established, the car had initially been driven by a 36-year-old resident of Legnica. He was driving the Ford when the offence was committed and then handed the place behind the wheel to his younger friend.
A breathalyzer test showed that the 36-year-old also had approximately 2 promille of alcohol in his system. After the findings and surveillance footage were presented, both admitted that the seat swap had been deliberate.

According to their accounts, the older man persuaded the 21-year-old to take responsibility for driving the car. The driver argued that he had “more to lose,” while his younger friend had never had a driving licence. As the police emphasize, the plan had no chance of succeeding, and the surveillance footage quickly revealed what had really happened.

Both men were arrested and will stand trial for driving a vehicle while intoxicated. This offence carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.

The police remind the public that any attempt to avoid responsibility by misleading officers may lead to additional consequences. The officers once again appeal for common sense and remind people that driving under the influence of alcohol poses a serious threat to the life and health of all road users.