Builder Jailed 10 Years for Killing Highways Worker While Drunk
A Lithuanian builder, Vilius Domarkas, was sentenced to a decade in prison after driving into a work area on the M23 motorway and killing Anthony Howe.
A builder has been sentenced to ten years in prison for killing a highways worker while driving drunk on the M23 motorway. Vilius Domarkas, 38, had recently flown into Stansted Airport from Lithuania, where he had been in rehabilitation for alcohol dependency.
Domarkas was driving his van into a coned-off area on July 8 when he struck Anthony Howe, 65, who was killed instantly. According to prosecutors, Domarkas was between three and four times the legal alcohol limit at the time of the crash. Mr. Howe had exited his vehicle just seconds before the collision and was still holding the door handle.
The van continued for approximately 500 meters before stopping due to an automatic fuel cut-off triggered by the damage. Domarkas, who had reportedly split from his wife, was observed driving erratically and drifting between lanes in the moments leading up to the incident.
Upon arrival of authorities, Domarkas exhibited slurred speech and was so unsteady that he fell over. A blood sample taken four hours after the crash confirmed he was over the legal limit, with back calculations indicating a significantly higher level at the time of the accident.
At Lewes Crown Court, Domarkas pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Judge Martin Huseyin noted the irony of Domarkas calling emergency services, stating, "You called 999 but you were so drunk that you didn’t realise that you had hit a person. It’s truly shocking that as a man who was too drunk to stand up, you felt fit to drive on a motorway."
In a victim impact statement, Mr. Howe's partner, Lilian Bonney, described the devastating loss, saying, "My entire world was ripped apart when Tony was killed. Tony completed me and without him I simply do not feel whole anymore. His future was taken away in the cruellest way. [Domarkas] made a choice that stole my happy-ever-after."
Domarkas's defense attorney stated that the father of two was remorseful and suggested the fatal decision to drink may have been linked to his marital breakdown.
In addition to the ten-year prison sentence, Domarkas, who has no fixed address, was disqualified from driving for 16 years and eight months. His van was ordered forfeited by the court.