Watch as cops commandeer kayaks to arrest drunk driver who plunged into river

07 February 2024 , 12:19

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Watch as cops commandeer kayaks to arrest drunk driver who plunged into river

Cops were forced to rescue a drink driver when he drove into raging flood waters and became trapped - by borrowing a couple of kayaks.

James Doyle misjudged the road in North Bersted Street, Bognor Regis, in November last year and became stuck in the waters. When Sussex Police officers PC Hayley Parkin and PC Elliott Ellison arrived on the scene they realised they could not reach him without assistance.

Luckily, nearby members of the public kindly offered the officers the use of their kayaks. Video showed the officers afloat on the borrowed water vehicles rowing down the flooded road. Once they arrived they asked him if he was all right - to which he answered: “No.” Doyle, 57, admitted drink-driving after he was found to be more than three times the legal alcohol limit.

A spokesman for the force said: “Doyle appeared before Worthing Magistrates’ Court on 12 December 2023 and admitted driving while over the legal alcohol limit. The court heard police were called at 9.30am on 15 November 2023 to his car stuck in flood waters.

James Doyle drove the car into flood waters (Sussex Police)

"The officers waded through the water in order to conduct a breath test on Doyle, who provided a positive roadside breath test. He was arrested and taken to custody, where he provided a sample of 120 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35uhg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

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“Driving while intoxicated is one of the main reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads. Sussex Police officers’ work to stop drink and drug drivers continues all year round, and officers will continue to be on patrol to stop selfish motorists who put the safety of themselves and other road users at risk.”

Doyle, 57, from Bognor, was sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months when he appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court on Monday, 5 February. He was also disqualified from driving for 29 months and ordered to pay a total of £239.

Antony Clements-Thrower