Drug-Driver Busted Thanks to Police Dog Hero in Chichester
A determined police dog has helped nab a drug-driver who tried to ditch his car and make a run for it in Chichester.
Speeding and Abandonment on the Run
Eduart Ruci, 39, took off at speed when he spotted a marked Roads Policing Unit (RPU) vehicle in St Pancras on April 1. Minutes later, police found his car abandoned in Tozer Way just after 11.30pm. But Ruci had vanished on foot.
PD Billy Sniffs Out the Fugitive
Enter PD Billy, a sharp-nosed German Shepherd, who tracked Ruci down to a nearby street. When caught, Ruci first claimed he’d been “at the pub,” then later insisted he was only a passenger in the car.
However, a roadside DrugWipe test showed Ruci tested positive for cocaine. He was also confirmed as the vehicle’s registered keeper with the insurance in his name.
Heavy Drug Levels and Court Penalties
Police officer PC Steve Bucksey arrested Ruci on suspicion of drug-driving. Blood tests revealed a whopping 337 microgrammes of cocaine per litre — nearly seven times the legal limit of 50mcg.
The builder from Whiston Road, Hackney, was charged with drug driving. At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on October 18, he pleaded guilty.
Ruci was slapped with a three-year driving ban, fined £700, and ordered to pay £70 victim surcharge plus £85 court costs.
PC Bucksey said: “Drug-driving is one of the major causes of people being killed or injured on our roads each year. We are determined to catch offenders and remove them from the road.
“With the help of our trusty colleague PD Billy, we’ll do what it takes to catch and charge intoxicated drivers. Drug-driving is simply not acceptable.”
“Ruci was risking his own safety and that of everyone out in Chichester that night. We’re pleased a dangerous driver has been taken off the roads.”
Spot a Dangerous Driver? Report It!
If you see bad driving, report it by phone, email, or via the Operation Crackdown website. Providing a full registration plate helps police target offenders.
“We can’t be everywhere, but we could be anywhere,” PC Bucksey warns.
