Police dog helps catch drug driver in Chichester
He was found to be more than six time over the legal limit for cocaine
Last updated 16th Nov 2022
A police dog has helped officers track down a drug driver who tried to abandon his car in Chichester.
Eduart Ruci was caught speeding away from a marked police car in St Pancras on April 1st, before leaving his car in Tozer Way.
Billy, the German Shepherd, located him in a street nearby but the 39-year-old told officers he had been “at the pub”.
Testing positive in a roadside drugs test, he then claimed he was a passenger in the vehicle.
Ruci was arrested on suspicion of drug-driving after his identity confirmed he was the registered owner of the car.
Further blood tests found he was more than six times over the legal limit for cocaine.
The builder, of Whiston Road, Hackney, has been disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay a £700 fine, £70 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
PC Bucksey said: “Drug-driving is one of the major causes of people being killed or injured on our roads each year.
“So we are determined to catch offenders and remove them from the road.
“This case shows that with the support of our trusty colleague PD Billy, we will do what is necessary to catch offenders and take action against intoxicated drivers.
“Drug-driving is simply not acceptable. Ruci was taking a risk with his own safety as well as that of everyone else who may have been out in Chichester at that time.
“We are pleased a potentially dangerous driver has been disqualified.”
Reporting bad driving can be done over the phone, email or via the Operation Crackdown website.
A full registration number will assist us to target those responsible. We cannot be everywhere but we could be anywhere."