A drunk driver who drove for miles with a wheel missing from his car has been warned he could face prison.
Clive Simpson, 45, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and dangerous driving at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court. The court heard that he had recently lost both his parents.
Simpson, from Churchdown, Gloucestershire, was caught on January 24 when police saw his car being driven erratically. Sergeant Edwards, who was on the A38 near Gloucester, noticed the car was too close to the central reservation and heard a strange scraping sound. He followed the vehicle, but due to traffic, couldn’t get close right away. When he finally did, he saw sparks coming from the damaged wheel.
The car didn't stop when the police activated their lights and sirens. Backup was called, and the vehicle was boxed in and forced to stop. When officers approached Simpson, he appeared drowsy and smelled of alcohol. There were three people nearby who were angry about the dangerous driving.
The car had significant damage, including a missing wheel, wing mirror, and door handle. Simpson had 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath—well above the legal limit of 35.
Defending Simpson, lawyer Miguel Blanco said the car's temporary spare wheel had been fitted by the AA, and it was unclear how long the car had been driven with only three wheels. He also mentioned that Simpson had been struggling with mental health issues and alcohol problems, and had recently changed his medication for depression.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, with sentencing set for April 1st. Magistrates warned Simpson that a prison sentence was still a possibility. He was disqualified from driving and released on unconditional bail. Before leaving the court, Simpson briefly apologised, explaining that he had lost both his parents in the past year.
