A drink driving teenager claimed something in the road made him lose control of his car, crashing into trees
A drink driving teenager claimed something in the road made him lose control of his car, before it crashed into trees and ended up on the other side of the road
Owain Phillip Rowlands admitted drink driving in a red Ford Fiestra on the A470 at Newbridge-on-Wye on October 26 2025, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The 19 year-old of Cwmcadno, Nantmel had 97 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80 milligrammes.
Prosecuting, Mr James Sprunks said between 12.40 and 12.45am on October 26 2025 Rowlands was driving south on the A470 from Rhayader when he lost control of the vehicle.
It crashed into trees and bushes and then came to rest on the offside.
His passengers called the police and one of them had to be helped out of the car by the emergency services.
Rowlands suffered facial injuries and a cut to the back of the head and he was unsteady on his feet and officers could smell alcohol.
Mr Sprunks said Rowlands was asked to undertake a roadside breath test but he refused and he was arrested.
“He and both friends were taken to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and he was heard to say to hospital staff that he had been drinking and he crashed his vehicle.
He consented to blood being taken and tests showed he had 97 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, above the limit.
In interview, Rowlands said he had been drinking Carling at the Castle Hotel and he confirmed he was the driver.
The court was told he had no previous convictions.
Mitigating, Ms Gurleen Kaur said Rowlands had suffered facial injuries and he didn’t outright refuse to provide at the roadside, he could not because of those injuries. She said he consented to his blood being taken in hospital.
She said he had complied with the officers throughout the investigation and he was remorseful and admits it was a mistake.
“He works as a farmer in Llangurig two days a week but he will have to give up that employment because he will not be able to drive there and losing his licence will limit his employability going forward,” Ms Kaur said
She said Rowlands had said there was something in the road that caused him to lose control of his vehicle and this was corroborated by his passengers.
Chair of the magistrates Mr Geraint Evans said: “You nearly killed everybody in that vehicle, there are no two ways about it.”
Rowlands was fined £400 and he was banned from driving for 16 months although he was offered the chance to attend the drink drive awareness course. He will also have to pay a £160 surcharge and £85 costs.
