Drunk driver hit Newtown centre bridge
A drink driver collided with steel bollards on a bridge before driving off with one of them stuck under his car.
Alan Rowlands, 60, hit the bollards on Long Bridge, Longbridge Street, Newtown, late on July 8, before driving off with one dragging stuck under his car causing sparks to fly into the air.
He was tracked down by police officers who found him at home in Bryn Street, Newtown, in bed with his wife just minutes later.
Rowlands admitted a charge of drink driving at Welshpool Magistrates Court yesterday (TUE) and was banned from driving for 23 months. He was also fined £110 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
When he was breathalysed by officers he gave a reading of 95 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Mr Matthew Ellis, prosecuting, said on-lookers saw a Ford Focus being driven by Rowlands coming from Back Lane and swinging to turn onto the bridge.
Mr Ellis said: "As it did so, the car hit a number of steel bollards at the side of the road, knocking them down. The car slowly continued off and when it reached the roundabout at the top of the street sparks began flying from under the vehicle.
"The police were called and attended the defendant's home address. When they arrived they could see through an open window that the defendant was in bed with his wife.
"Meanwhile, outside, his car was still warm and one of the bollards from the bridge was lodged underneath the vehicle.
"When the officers came in, the defendant's wife told them he had only drank wine from a bottle in the fridge. When the officers checked, they found a sealed bottle of wine, not missing any content."
Mr Ellis said Rowlands was arrested and interviewed where he admitted what he had done.
Mr Robert Hanratty, for Rowlands, said his client had been a popular law-abiding citizen his entire life and had taken the "foolish" decision to move his car from Back Lane the couple of hundred yards back home after being out with is wife.
