Determined police dog tracks down Pulborough drink driver

A police dog tracked down a drink driver who crashed a car after tracing him across the A29 on a mile-long route.
Police Dog Goose - he tracked down a drink-driver along a mile-long route SUS-190517-150202001Police Dog Goose - he tracked down a drink-driver along a mile-long route SUS-190517-150202001
Police Dog Goose - he tracked down a drink-driver along a mile-long route SUS-190517-150202001

The determined dog - a German shepherd named Goose - followed the trail of the driver before finding him sitting in another vehicle.

Police say the incident unfolded when they were alerted at around 1.40am on April 13 after a Volkswagen Golf was reported to have been taken without the owner’s consent from a house in The Spinney, Pulborough.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

PC Anthony Oliver of the Sussex Police Dog Unit went in search of the Golf and found it crashed and abandoned in nearby Broomers Hill Lane, close to the junction with Cray Lane.

PC Oliver deployed Police Dog Goose to find the driver. And dogged Goose tracked across the A29 into Black Gate Lane and left into Pickhurst Lane - a mile-long stretch - where a man was found sitting in another vehicle.

He was identified as James Rhoder, a hod carrier, of Pickhurst Lane, Pulborough, and was found to have the keys to the Golf on him.

The 21-year-old failed a roadside breath test, and was arrested and charged with driving with 52mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system, failing to stop after a collision, driving without insurance, driving without a valid licence and possession of cannabis.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Police say he pleaded guilty to all offences and at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on May 3, he was banned from driving for 14 months, fined £90 and ordered to pay £85 costs with a £30 victim surcharge.

He was released without charge for the offence of aggravated vehicle taking.