Drink driver, 47, 'told police her dog was behind the wheel after crashing car into bus stop'
22 September 2022, 22:49
A woman told police her dog was behind the wheel when she was caught driving after drinking wine, a court has heard.
Melissa Jenkins Johanson was leaving a bar and restaurant in South Wales when she tried to reverse out of the car park four times.
A man called police as Johanson got out of the car park on the fifth attempt, only to drive down a footpath and crash into a bus stop.
Two officers from Dyfed Powys Police went to the 47-year-old's home, where her damaged car was parked, after the incident in February but she blamed the incident on her pet dog, Lily.
The officers smelled alcohol and but she refused to give a breath sample and, after being taken into custody, refused a second time before also declining to give a blood sample, Swansea Crown Court was told.
Judge Huw Rees said she was "so intoxicated" and "babbling incoherent nonsense about her dog".
"When police arrived at your address there was an all-consuming smell of alcohol. In your babbling incoherence you showed how intoxicated you were," he said, The Sun reports.
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"For some considerable period in recent years drink has been your nemesis," he added.
"On November last year you were convicted of driving a vehicle while under the influence of excess alcohol.
"You were given an opportunity under the auspices of a 12-month community order to which your response has been slow in part."
Defending Johanson, Dean Pulling said she had a good career and has a long history of mental health struggles, and has emotionally unstabe personality disorder.
He also said she had driven slowly, nobody was hurt in the incident and there is a realistic chance she will be rehabilitated.
But the judge said someone could have been hurt or even killed, and he sentenced her to 12 months, suspended for 18 months.
She is also banned from driving for three years, must under go 15 days of rehabilitation and undertake 150 hours of unpaid work.
