Bedford man jailed for drink-driving is told “you are going to end up killing someone"

A man from Bedford has been jailed after driving at speeds of 80mph in a 30mph zone while being almost three times over the limit.

At Luton Crown Court on Monday (September 14), Aurelijus Zvironas, 44, of De Havilland Avenue, Shortstown, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop for police, driving whilst disqualified and driving with no insurance.

This was Zvironas’ fourth drink driving arrest since 2011.

On June 9, at around midnight, officers saw a BMW being driven erratically on Ampthill Road, Bedford.

They indicated for the vehicle to stop, which it did, but then sped off reaching speeds of up to 80mph in a 30mph zone. The BMW even went through a red traffic light, driving around a bend on the wrong side of the road.

The police vehicle lost sight of the car and then spotted a traffic light that had been bent over, and saw the BMW nearby, with front end damage and airbags deployed.

Zvironas, in the driving seat, smelt strongly of alcohol and, when breath tested, was between two-and-a-half to three times over the limit. He was seen at hospital following the crash but was not injured.

Recorder Cairns Nelson QC, passing sentence, said: “It is frankly a miracle nobody including yourself was seriously injured in this accident. You were clearly drunk.

“If you carry on drink driving you are going to end up killing someone.”

Zvironas was jailed for a year, and banned from driving for three-and-a-half years. He must also take an extended driving test.

In the week where police forces across the UK are supporting Project EDWARD – Every Day Without A Road Death – PC Julie Stone, who investigated this case, said: “We have no tolerance for drivers who think it is acceptable to drink drive in Bedfordshire.

“Zvironas’ actions that night could not only have killed him, but also other road users or pedestrians, and he put fellow officers at risk as they sought to stop him.

“Perhaps this jail sentence will now give him time to rethink his behaviour before he attempts to get behind the wheel again.”