Repeat offender convicted of drink-driving car crash in Chippenham

A recidivist who hit a barrier while driving under the influence of alcohol was sentenced to prison.

Ionut Munteanu, 38, from Surrey, pleaded guilty to a number of offenses and was sentenced to 32 weeks’ imprisonment at Swindon Crown Court on October 21.

Officers arrested Munteanu on October 20 after he crashed his Vauxhall Astra into a barrier at Sainsbury’s in Chippenham and later failed a breathalyzer test.

He was banned from driving for three years and sentenced to seven months in prison and ordered to pay a surcharge of £154.

Police received a report of a car hitting a barrier in a supermarket around 1:00 p.m. Polish time.

The front bumper of the Vauxhall fell off and the driver fled the scene.

Officers later caught up with the car on the A420, where they found Munteanu in the driver’s seat visibly intoxicated.

Checks showed that he had no car insurance and had lost his driving privileges, so he was arrested for these offenses as well as for failing to stop after a road collision.

At the time of his latest offence, Munteanu was serving a suspended prison sentence for a previous drink-driving offence.

Swindon Magistrates’ Court activated his 20-week suspended sentence and ordered him to immediately serve a further 12 weeks in prison.