The driver responsible for killing a roadworker on the M23 in July has been jailed for 10 years. Vilius Domarkas, 38, was sentenced yesterday after admitting causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing, reports Construction Enquirer.
The fatal incident occurred on 8 July when highways worker Anthony Howe was hit by Domarkas’ Citroen Relay van which veered into the coned off lane of the M23 near Gatwick Airport in West Sussex.
Domarkas was found with glazed and bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech, was unsteady on his feet and fell over.
Domarkas, of no fixed address, provided an evidential blood sample four hours after the collision with a reading of 221 microgrammes (ug) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. The legal limit is 80ug of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Detective Constable Kelly Newton from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “
This is another tragic example of drink-driving which has had devastating consequences. Domarkas was in no fit state to drive that night, and his own vehicle’s dashcam footage showed him driving erratically prior to the fatal collision.
“He has caused the death of a highways worker and put the lives of all other road users at risk when he got behind the wheel.
Domarkas was also disqualified from driving for 16 years and eight months.
(Picture: Mapillary)
