Pernik traffic police chief caught drunk driving

The chief of traffic police of Pernik was caught drunk driving this weekend. By his own admission Petar Basmandzhiev had had three rakiyas before taking the wheel. Patrol officers stopped his car at 3:30 AM for a regular check. Basmandzhiev registered 1,66 blood level alcohol. The law allows for a sentence of between one and three years in prison and a lifetime ban from driving for such an amount.

Basmandzhiev became the chief of the traffic police in Pernik about a month ago. He is also a City Council member from the ruling party GERB.

The news comes amid an increase of road accidents in the country’s capital and elsewhere over the past weeks. Several days ago, the Ministry of Interior announced it will intensify traffic control measures citing the fatal incidents from last week.

Last Wednesday one child died and another was admitted to hospital with heavy injuries after a car hit them in Sofia. Just one day earlier, on December 12, a National Service for Protection car hit a 14-year-old boy. The child sustained serious injuries. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and in the ICU on Thursday. He has since stabilized.

mediapool.bg