Drunk driving in Palma – 61-year-old stopped after wrong-way drive

Nighttime check in Palma: vehicle impounded

During the night in Palma's old town, a driver was pulled from traffic who had apparently been drinking heavily. Residents had been disturbed — the sound of an engine around 10 p.m., headlights off, and a car driving the wrong way. The patrol responded and stopped the man shortly afterwards.

How it happened

Passers-by in the area around the Plaza de la Lonja called the police because the driver's behaviour seemed suspicious. A patrol found the vehicle at around 10:45 p.m. on the Via del Moll, driving without lights and the wrong way. When approached on site there was initially denial and excuses — the 61-year-old driver even claimed at first that he did not own a car.

Notably: less than 25 minutes earlier the same officers had already seen the man and asked him not to drive. Nevertheless he was later seen again behind the wheel. A breathalyser finally provided clarity: 0.94 per mille — a value well above the legal limit.

Consequences and official procedures

The police impounded the vehicle and a tow service took care of the car. The man is now being investigated for driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the officers, he was summoned to an expedited procedure and the files were forwarded to the judicial authorities.

Such operations are not just paperwork: on Palma's streets, especially late in the evening in the narrow lanes around the old town, risky situations can escalate quickly, as shown when two taxi drivers on Palma's Paseo Marítimo stopped a heavily intoxicated driver.

Fortunately this incident resulted in no personal injuries — but it is a clear warning.

A few observations on the side

It was a cool night, a few bars had just closed, residents stood on the curb with blankets and shook their heads. Encounters with drivers who misjudge their alcohol level are heard of here more often. For example, a woman drove 14 kilometres without two tires and later tested positive for alcohol. Perhaps the last drink should more often lead to a conversation about a taxi — or simply leaving the car where it is.

Police, drunk driving and road safety are keywords likely to be on the agenda again in the coming days — also in conversations on the island.