Drunken driver fined

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, DEC 2: Drunken driving by a driver of a passenger vehicle landed him in trouble as police on Friday detained him after he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. “We have detained the driver of the passenger vehicle after he was reported to have been driving under the influence of alcohol and running away from the scene where he hit two other vehicles,” a police officer informed.

The driver has been identified as Preciously Suchiang from Shangpung village who drove Sumo (ML 04 A 7493) bound for Jaintia hills district headquarters Jowai and reportedly hit two vehicles including a local taxi at Lower Lachumiere and narrowly missed a two wheeler driven by a woman journalist.

While the driver attempted to flee from the scene, the woman journalist, working for an English daily, stopped him and reported the matter to the police.

He was immediately detained by the Laitumkhrah traffic police and was taken to the police station. As the area where the incident took place do not fall under Laitumkhrah police station, the matter was later transferred to Sadar Police Station.

A spot test on the alcometer/breath analyzer indicated presence of high alcohol content in his breath, the officer said.

The officer, however, informed that as it was a first offence, a fine of Rs 3000 was imposed on the driver with a warning that his driving license will be cancelled if such offence is repeated.

The ten passengers in the vehicle did not realize that the drive was drunk. They only realized that the driver was drunk when he was caught after fleeing and accordingly decided to take another vehicles.