A ROOFER on holiday on the Isle of Wight who drove in the wrong direction up a one-way street while more than twice the drink-drive limit, smashed into the side of a car and sped off from the scene, a court was told.
Levi Stevens, of Sassoon Place, in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, admitted drink driving in Sandown on the evening of March 11.
At around 10pm, the 20-year-old drove up Melville Street and onto the Broadway — crashing his Vauxhall Corsa into the side of a white MG car, driven by a woman with her partner, a passenger.
The MG was a write-off, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
Stevens then turned around and sped off in the correct direction down Melville Street, towards the town centre — hitting a wall in the process.
The police were called and, by chance, a patrol was heading along Avenue Road towards the town centre and saw Stevens come towards them.
Noticing Stevens's headlight was out and damage to his Corsa, they followed him and saw him "swerve all over the road," Miss Miller added.
On pulling the car over, Stevens got out and ran off, but an officer in pursuit on foot stopped him with a Taser.
Stevens, who also admitted failing to stop after an accident, gave a drink-drive breath reading of 81 microgrammes — more than twice the legal limit of 35.
Stevens, unrepresented in court, was staying in accommodation at Whitecliff Bay for the weekend, got quite drunk, had a row with his girlfriend and, with his judgement clouded, drove off, the court was told.
Stevens told the bench: "I'm sorry. I made a stupid mistake, didn't I? I'm just going to have to deal with it."
Probation officer, Dawn Young, said Stevens told her he vaguely recalled the accident and could not say why he ran away from the police.
"He said he couldn't believe what he did. He was remorseful and quite emotional at the thought he could've injured someone. Luckily, he didn't," said Mrs Young.
Stevens was banned from driving for 20 months and handed a year's probation, which included him having to do 150 hours' unpaid work, and he was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
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