A 73-year-old man in Bath has been banned from driving for 27 months after causing chaos by mounting a pavement near pedestrians, crashing into multiple vehicles, and demolishing a traffic light pole. Garrick Jones, from Holburne Park in Bathwick, pleaded guilty to drink driving following the incident on March 31.
Dramatic footage released by Wiltshire Police shows Jones’ car mounting the pavement along Frome Road in Trowbridge at around 5:20 pm. Just moments before the crash, a woman pushing a pram and a child walking behind her are seen on the opposite side of the road, highlighting how close the incident came to a serious tragedy.
Jones was stopped by police and failed a roadside breath test before being arrested. Further testing in custody confirmed he was well over the legal alcohol limit. At court on May 11, he was sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid work, ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation days, and fined a total of £199 in fines and costs.
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PC Craig Beales of the Roads Policing Unit emphasized the dangers of drink driving, stating, “It was only through sheer luck that no one was seriously injured. Jones was in no fit state to be behind the wheel. We will continue to take strong action against intoxicated drivers and urge the public to report any suspicions.”