Officers from the Guardia Civil traffic department on the island of Formentera were left stunned at the weekend when they called upon a tow truck to assist a stranded passenger car.
The disabled vehicle had suffered an engine problem at around 4 in the morning and so the grua was called to recover the vehicle. Upon its arrival, the officers were somewhat surprised to find the driver of the tow truck showing signs of intoxication.
They decided to perform a roadside breath test and found the tow truck driver to be six times over the legal alcohol limit.
The driver was promptly arrested although that then left another problem as the closest available replacement was on the neighbouring island of Ibiza. As a result, the patrol had to remain with the stranded vehicle for four hours until it could be recovered.
The penalties for drink and drug driving in Spain are harsh and are lower than other European countries, including the UK. However, for professional drivers the limit is even lower again. Last week, another driver was arrested on the same island after being found to have been under the influence of drugs. This driver was in charge of a truck carrying dangerous goods.
Throughout the summer there are intensified checks for alcohol and drugs on the roads in an attempt to reduce the number of casualties caused by such inconsiderate actions.
