A DISQUALIFIED driver who was found slumped at the wheel of a vehicle on a busy Essex road has been jailed after being caught almost four times over the legal alcohol limit.
As part of routine patrols, officers were travelling along the A13 at Grays shortly before 11.30pm on Sunday 20 April when they exited onto the M25 slip road at Junction 30.
Officers noticed a white Mercedes stationary in lane two of three, with its engine running and brake lights illuminated, despite the traffic lights ahead showing green. Other road users were forced to swerve to avoid the car.
As officers approached, they saw the driver slumped forward with his hands on the steering wheel and his head down. When he opened the door, officers immediately noticed a strong smell of alcohol.
Tomololu Oyeniku, 42, of Tolpits Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire, was arrested after failing a roadside breath test. The reading showed he was around three-and-a-half times over the legal limit.
Oyeniku was remanded in custody and appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 21 April, where he pleaded guilty to drink driving, driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance.
Just four days earlier, on 17 April, Oyeniku had been disqualified from driving after being convicted of drink driving, receiving a 12‑week prison sentence that was suspended for 12 months.
As a result of breaching that suspended sentence and committing further offences, he was jailed for a total of 29 weeks and disqualified from driving for a combined period of 64 months.
PC Lauren Rodgers said: “Driving while under the influence of alcohol, particularly at such high levels, puts other road users and pedestrians at serious risk, with potentially fatal consequences.
“Alcohol seriously impairs judgement, reaction times and coordination. Drivers under the influence are far less able to respond to hazards, maintain control of their vehicle or make safe decisions, significantly increasing the risk of serious collisions.”
Stopping in a live traffic lane creates an immediate danger for other drivers who may have little time to react – especially at speed or in poor visibility.
Essex Police take a zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug driving and carry out proactive patrols, roadside testing and targeted enforcement across the county.
Officers will arrest drivers suspected of being over the limit, remove dangerous drivers from the road and work closely with the courts to ensure offenders are held to account.
Drink driving is illegal, irresponsible and puts lives at risk and Essex Police will continue to do all they can to tackle this offending and keep Essex’s roads safe.
