A drink-driver dodged jail after crashing his car into a bus filled with passengers. Brandon McGarry, 26, was twice over the limit when he smashed into the bus causing significant damage to both vehicles, reports Derbyshire Live.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard that the incident took place last year when the defendant clipped the kerb whilst driving a Ford Transit. The bus coming around the corner was then hit by the defendant's vehicle causing it to spin around.
The bus had passengers onboard but there were no injuries sustained in the crash. However, both vehicles were seriously damaged with the windscreen of the bus coming out and falling on top of the van.
Following the incident, the 26-year-old blew a positive breath test at the side of the road. He was then taken to hospital where a blood test showed him to have alcohol in his system.
Peter Bettany, prosecuting, said: "He [McGarry] said it came across his path and hit a kerb before hitting the bus and spinning around. It was a bus carrying passengers at the time but thankfully there were no injuries.
"Quite a bit of damage was done to the bus and the van, the windscreen of the bus had come out and was on top of the van. Mr McGarry blew a positive (breath test) reading at the roadside and was taken to hospital where a sample of blood was taken.
"That gave a reading of 161 (milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood) when the legal limit is 80 so he was twice the limit." McGarry pleaded guilty to drink-driving and appeared from custody for his sentencing hearing after failing to turn up to a previous court hearing.
James Close, his solicitor, said: "The first he knew about it was when the police came to arrest him for failing to turn up for court. He realises he will be disqualified from driving today and he has to accept it.
"He works full-time as a welder earning £180 per week and lives with his mother and sister in Swadlincote. It is just an unfortunate incident and he apologises to the court. He says he will be careful in the future."
Magistrates disqualified the defendant from driving for 22 months and fined him £180. McGarry was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
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