A drunk driver found himself on two wheels after crashing his car into a lamppost.
Jason Pride was three times over the limit when he decided to get behind the wheel.
Officers were travelling through Retford in an unmarked police car when they spotted Pride’s Vauxhall Corsa.
Despite it being nearly 1.30 am, the 34-year-old hadn’t turned his lights on and was struggling to drive in a straight line.
After turning their vehicle around, officers observed for a few seconds as Pride continued to swerve across the deserted road.
At that point, the drunk driver noticed the police car behind him and put his foot down along London Road – a 30mph zone.
Ignoring the restrictions, Pride reached speeds of around 60mph, while continuing to weave in and out of the lane on 29 April 2023.
This erratic driving then reached a climax when Pride misjudged a turn at a mini roundabout and crashed into a bollard – knocking over a lamppost.
With his car momentarily tilting on two wheels before becoming beached on a road crossing, the driver then tried to make a run for it.
He didn’t get far though before he was detained by an officer, who would go on to get Pride to complete a roadside breathalyser test.
Unsurprisingly, he would go on to fail this test – blowing three times the legal limit – at which point he was further arrested.
He would go on to be charged with dangerous driving and drink-driving.
Having pleaded guilty to both offences, Pride, of Newlands Avenue, Newark, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (22 December).
He was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 32 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Pride was also disqualified from driving for three years and will then have to retake his driving test at the end of this period.
Detective Sergeant Charlotte Henson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Pride’s decision to get behind the wheel while drunk in the early hours of that morning was incredibly irresponsible.
“As well as forgetting to switch his lights on, he was also spotted by officers swerving across the road, which was thankfully deserted at the time.
“To make matters worse, his driving then became even more erratic, as he tried to speed away from the police, before eventually losing control and crashing into a lamppost.
“Drink-driving can severely impair drivers’ judgement and reaction times, which was clearly evidenced here by Pride’s decision to try and turn at speed in the seconds before the collision.
“His poor driving that morning was completely unacceptable and put everyone else in his near vicinity in danger, so we’re pleased to see he’s now been punished for his actions.”
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