Driver (35) had ‘off the Richter scale’ alcohol level in his system

A DRIVER who failed to stop for gardai was over the limit from the night before a court heard.

Daniel Willis Torres (35), Island View Apartments, Howth, appeared before Tallaght District Court, pleading guilty to road traffic offences.

Garda Michael Curtin told the court that on December 26, 2023, gardai first signalled a driver identified in court as Mr Willis, to stop at 8.10am on Fortunestown Road.

The driver failed to stop and continued along Brookfield Road, and into an Applegreen station, failing to signal in the forecourt and taking off towards a roundabout in Jobstown.

Gardai followed at speed with the blue lights on.

The defendant abandoned his car at the bottom of a cul de sac on Brookfield View where he was apprehended.

A standard test provided by the driver returned a sample of 182 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

The court heard Mr Willis had one previous intoxicated driving charge from the UK, in 2020 from Merseyside Magistrates Court.

Defence counsel Ethan Foley said his client had been drinking the night before and went to the shop that morning to get milk for cereal but didn’t realise he was still intoxicated and felt he was able to drive.

Judge Patricia McNamara was not very impressed with the dangerous driving details described in court or the alcohol level in the system which was “off the Richter scale.”

“It is an extremely dangerous thing to do for yourself and others on the road,” said the Judge.

Gardai said it was quiet on the road at that time of the day.

Judge McNamara disqualified Mr Willis Torres for four years for the drink driving charge and fined him €700 with six months to pay.

He also received a four-year disqualification for the dangerous driving charge with a fine of €700 with five months to pay.

The sentences run alongside each other, so in total it is a four-year disqualification confirmed Judge McNamara.

Funded by the Local Courts Reporting Scheme