A drink-driver who flattened a lamppost during a Bridge of Don crash and then fled the scene of the accident will lose his job.
Patryk Minczuk said he “panicked” after he overshot the junction on the Parkway and crashed head-first into the lamppost.
Fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney said Minczuk was almost four times the legal limit when the accident happened near the Woodside Road junction and the A92 around 5.20pm on January 15 this year.
She said nearby witnesses saw the 41-year-old exit the car and make off on foot along Parkway before police arrived and traced him at home smelling of alcohol.
Flattened lamppost then fled on foot
“When officers attended they found the Vauxhall Vectra as described and the lamppost knocked to the ground,” she said.
“Nobody was in the vehicle and after system checks were carried out they made enquiries to search for an owner in the area.”
When they found Minczuk, a father-of-one, at his home they asked him if he’d recently been involved in a crash and he immediately replied: “Okay, I was driving”.
“It was noted at the time that a strong smell of alcohol was coming from the accused and that he appeared to be slurring his words,” the fiscal added.
Minczuk, a forklift driver, admitted a drink-driving charge and another of leaving the scene of an accident.
He gave a breath test reading of 81 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 22.
‘A disaster for him’
His defence agent Charlie Benzies the inevitable roads ban would be “somewhat of a disaster” for him given he needs a licence for his work as a telescopic handler driver.
“He has employment at the moment but he will lose that employment,” the solicitor said. “The only redeeming feature in this matter is that nobody was injured by his actions.
“He had been drinking with friends and after this collision with the lamppost he panicked.”
The court heard Minczuk, of Alexander Terrace, Aberdeen, had been driving for 20 years without issue.
Sheriff Morag Fraser handed him a £210 fine, a 12-month road ban and deemed him suitable for the drink-drive rehabilitation course.
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