Drink-driver caused chaos on A94 before stopping for loo break

COURT: Motorist drove on wrong side of ‘dangerous’ road near Coupar Angus

A drink-driver careered down the wrong carriageway of the now notorious A94 and then emergency stopped in the middle of the road – to jump out for a pee.

Motorists had to take evasive action to avoid another serious accident on the road that last year claimed the life of Coupar Angus toddler Harlow Edwards.

Imants Budreckis was told he had made “an already dangerous road even more dangerous” and had posed a serious risk to the safety of other road users.

He only narrowly avoided a prison sentence at Perth Sheriff Court, though Sheriff William Wood banned him from the road for two years and seized his car, which will now be destroyed.

Motorists described seeing his ageing Nissan Micra stationary by the side of the road, between Coupar Angus and Meigle, before indicating and pulling into the path of traffic.

He moved into the wrong carriageway, towards oncoming vehicles, which had to take swift evasive action to avoid a collision.

Budreckis then “stopped suddenly” in the middle of the road, bringing all traffic on the road to a complete standstill.

Witnesses saw him fling an empty bottle of alcohol from his window before staggering out of his vehicle to relieve himself in a nearby field.

Members of the public were so concerned by his condition that they removed his car keys from the ignition.

Budreckis barely appeared to notice as he clambered back into the driver’s seat and slumped forward, fast asleep.

The near insensible seasonal worker was drooling on his steering wheel when police officers shook him awake a short time later.

Budreckis, 29, of no fixed abode, admitted driving dangerously on the A94 on May 21 this year.

He also admitted failing to provide a breath test at Perth police office on the same day.

Sheriff William Wood told him: “This is the sort of incident that would make an already dangerous road even more dangerous to other road users and in fact made it impassable.”

In addition to banning Budreckis from the road, the sheriff also ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

This is the sort of incident that would make an already dangerous road even more dangerous to other road users ... SHERIFF WILLIAM WOOD

Imants Budreckis was banned for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.