Drunk driver crashes into police car

A 29-year-old Arima man was arrested and charged for crashing into a police car last Friday.

Police said the Tunapuna fire station received a report of a five-car accident on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway at around 8.45 pm and officers went to the scene.

Tunapuna police also went to the area to help and blocked off the westbound lane of the highway with their car and traffic cones near the Pasea walkover.

Two officers saw a Nissan wagon approaching at speed.

The driver tried to stop but skidded and crashed into the back of the police car and the two officers had to jump out of the way. The police car was sent rolling several metres forward by the crash.

Police and fire officers stopped the car from colliding with a fire truck.

The driver, identified as Sidney D'Andrade, told police he was not injured.

Police smelled alcohol, did a breathalyser test and found D'Andrade had a blood-alcohol level of 98 micrograms per 100 mL. The legal alcohol limit is 35 micrograms per 100 mL of blood.

Police said D'Andrade had three previous offences for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was charged and appeared before a Tunapuna magistrate on Monday and pleaded guilty.

He was fined and permanently disqualified from holding a driver's permit.