A coast guard officer with ten years' service yesterday pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol. Joel Johnson, 33 of Quarry Street, Diego Martin, was granted his own bail of $10,000 when he appeared before Magistrate Debbie Ann Bassaw in the Port-of-Spain Tenth Court. Johnson, who holds the post of a leading hand, was represented by attorney Criston Williams. The court heard that around 8.30 pm on Sunday, Johnson was involved in an accident at Morvant Junction.
Taken to the Morvant Police Station shortly after, Johnson consented to undergo a breathalyser test and his blood-alcohol level was found to be 81 microgrammes for every 100 millilitres of breath. The legal alcohol limit for a driver is 35 microgrammes for every 100 millilitres of breath. Williams pleaded for leniency as he said Johnson was a responsible citizen who had no previous convictions or pending matters before the court. Granting Johnson his own bail, Bassaw later adjourned the matter to October 1.
