Drink driver crashed next to police station while twice the limit
A motorist was more than twice the drink drive limit when he lost control of his new car and swerved onto a pavement near a police station.
Officers were pursuing Mason Stanley, 20, after reports of a sliver BMW swerving in the streets of West Bromwich, a court heard.
Despite attempts to pull him over the driver, from Wombourne, carried on until the vehicle struck a 'keep left' sign before mounting a pavement at the junction of Moor Street and Oak Road on June 20.
Mr Paul Farrow, prosecuting, said officers on patrol were alerted about the car and manner it was being driven at about 4.50am.
"They searched the area and saw the car in High Street ahead of them. They illuminated the blue lights. They then saw it go through the traffic lights by Spon Lane. It was being driven it excess of 30 mph. The officers turned around in an attempt to follow and stop the car.
"They followed and as they reached near the police station they saw the defendant attempt to turn into Oak Road where he lost control of the car. It hit a 'keep left' bollard in the centre of the road, hit the kerb then went across the pavement onto the grass outside the police station," Mr Farrow said.
He said Stanley, of Station Road, Wombourne, in Staffordshire, got the car back on the road, but was then blocked in by the officers.
Mr Farrow said: "There were others in the vehicle. This defendant was taken out of the driver's seat. The officers say he smelt strongly of alcohol. A search of the car in the area of the driver's seat uncovered two small cannabis wraps in a compartment."
He measured 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Mr Richard Quinn, mitigating, told Wolverhampton Crown Court: "He decided rather foolishly that he was going to drink. He'd only owned the car for three weeks. He loathed to leave it behind and has paid the consequences."
Stanley admitted dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, and possession of cannabis.
For dangerous driving Mr Recorder Geoffrey Kelly jailed Stanley for eight months suspended for 12 months, and banned him from the road for 18 months. He must carry out 100 hours unpaid work in the community, attend a rehabilitation activity for 15 days, and pay £140 costs. There was no separate penalty for the other offences.
