Cocaine driver arrested in Laois after speeding on ice
The driver tested positive for cocaine, after doing 141kph in a 50kph zone. Photo: An Garda Síochána Laois Offaly
A DRIVER caught doing nearly three times the speed limit on a freezing Laois road tested positive for cocaine, after the car was pulled in by gardaí.
The Volkswagen Golf was recorded travelling at 141kph in a 50kph zone in icy conditions near Portarlington on Saturday 3 January.
In a worrying start to the new year, it was the third successive day that local gardaí found someone driving under the influence of cocaine.
In a warning on social media, Laois gardaí said: ‘Cocaine doesn’t make you a better driver. It just makes you more likely to be stopped - or worse, hurt someone who did nothing wrong.’
The car, which had N plates displayed, was seized and towed away by a recovery vehicle. The culprit is facing a court appearance for a series of offences that include drug driving.
Posting a photo (above) from the scene on An Garda Síochána Laois Offaly social media platforms on 3 January, gardaí said: ‘Every single day in Laois so far this year, someone has been arrested by Laois RPU (Roads Policing Unit) for driving under the influence of cocaine.’
The following day, another driver was arrested in Ballacolla after gardaí received an alert for no motor tax on the ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) system.
The Skoda driver, an unaccompanied learner, was already disqualified from driving but had failed to surrender the licence.
The car was towed away and the driver is facing an upcoming appearance at Portlaoise District Court.
