A second time drunk driver who got caught up in a police roadblock, scoring more than four times the legal alcohol limit, was fined $15,000 yesterday and banned from driving for two years.
Suraj Borilal, 28, a labourer, appeared in the San Fernando Traffic Court for the second time in a year charged with driving under the influence.
He, however, claimed he did not deliberately set off to drive under the influence of alcohol but the designated driver was ill.
Borilal, who was arrested by PC Sujeet Ramcharan on Sunday, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Taramatie Ramdass.
Prosecutor Sgt Anil Manick said Borilal was stopped by the police around 1.15 am at La Plaisance Road, La Romaine, and the officer detected a strong scent of alcohol on his breath.
When asked by Ramcharan if he was drinking, Borilal said: “I had two beers to drink.”
However, the field sobriety test recorded a reading of 166 microgrammes and two further tests recorded readings of 148 and 146 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Borilal admitted that in February last year he was charged with driving under the influence and paid a fine.
“The only reason I drove the car was because my friend who was suppose to drive... she was vomiting and feeling sick. There was no one else to drive so I took the responsibility (to drive).”
However, the magistrate told him he should have called someone to pick them up, called a wrecker and the ambulance.
Borilal claimed he drank “a good bit” of light beer.
Advising him the second offence carries a penalty of $22,500 fine and/or jail up to five years and a disqualification from driving, she said:
“You tell me why I should not send you to jail for five years because this is no joke reading.”
He replied: “I know the first time I said I not going to do it again but this time I was not suppose to be drinking.”
Admonishing him for his alcohol intake, she asked him whether he wanted to end up with organ damage. Borilal claimed he went to a fete.
If he fails to pay the fine in two months, he will serve three years in jail.
As she disqualified him from holding or obtaining a permit for two years, she warned him he could be jailed if he was charged with a third breathalyser offence.