A 36-year-old man who tried to evade gardaí after they followed him because he was on the wrong side of the road, was disqualified from driving for two years at this week’s sitting of Castlebar District Court after he was convicted of drink driving and dangerous driving.
Gardaí observed Peter Hutnik, 2 Circular Road, Ballaghaderreen, drive his car on the wrong side of the N5 at Bohola, at 8.20am on June 14 2010. The garda had to take evasive action and swerved the patrol car. The patrol car then turned and followed the defendant. The lights and sirens of the patrol car were activated, however the defendant failed to stop and instead swerved into a minor road and drove at 120kph in an 80kph zone.
The car then came off the road and crashed. A breath sample later provided by Hutnik gave a reading of 36mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
The civil engineer, from Slovakia, has no previous convictions. The court heard that on that morning the defendant was late for work and was trying to get there quickly and then “foolishly” tried to evade gardaí. He was over the limit as he had been drinking the night before.
The married father of two was convicted and fined €100 by Judge Mary Devins and disqualified from driving for one year. For dangerous driving he was convicted and fined €500 and disqualified from driving for two years concurrent.
