Drunken crash lands visitor in jail
(CNS): A 32-year-old Honduran national appeared in court Monday after spending the weekend in jail as a result of a crash in the early hours of Saturday morning in West Bay, in which he was suspected of drinking and driving. Omar Banegas has been charged with a list of offences that began when he ran off the Boatswain Bay Road in the Toyota 4Runner he was driving. It ended when police arrived at the scene of the collision at around 2:30am on 11 August, when he reportedly became aggressive and assaulted an officer during his arrest.
During his Summary Court appearance, Magistrate Valdis Foldats was told that Banegas is here visiting his sister, who is married to a Caymanian, but he had taken a family member’s car without permission, even though he does not have a local driver’s licence.
When police had arrived at the scene of the crash, he appeared unsteady on his feet and showed other signs of intoxication. After being arrested on suspicion of DUI and as he was being put in the police vehicle, he began to act aggressively, kicking one of the officers. When he was breath-tested at the police station, he recorded a 0.195% blood alcohol reading.
Banegas pleaded guilty to taking a conveyance without consent, driving without being licensed or authorised, driving whilst over the prescribed limit and careless driving, but a charge of assaulting a police officer was not answered after his defence counsel asked the crown to review the charge.
The case was adjourned until tomorrow but Banegas was bailed to his sister’s address in Bodden Town and placed under doorstep curfew after his travel documents were surrendered.
