Rocket engineer admits drink driving on north road
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An Edinburgh based Spanish native with a job assembling rockets to carry satellites into space has admitted drink driving on a Highland road.
Passers-by spotted Jonathan Vega (27), Southhouse, Broadway, asleep early in the morning in his car in a lay-by in Ross-shire. The vehicle appeared to be damaged.
Police were called and tests revealed Vega to have 48 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 22 in 100.
At Tain Sheriff Court today, Vega admitted drink driving on May 2 on the unclassified road running from Kildermorie Lodge to the B9167 Skiach to Edderton Road. He was fined £520 and banned from the road for 14 months.
Prosecutor David Morton said Vega had spent the evening at Kildermorie Lodge, leaving in his Spanish registered vehicle at around 5.30am.
David Paterson, defending, said his client was a native of Spain and had a masters in rocket engineering. He was currently working with an Edinburgh company assembling rockets.
“In May 2020, he was working as an intern for the company for which he is now employed,” said the lawyer. “He was told to take masks up to this location. He stayed overnight and felt fine too drive - he pulled over to sleep.”
Mr Paterson added that Vega had no previous convictions, either in the UK or Spain. He no longer had the vehicle in question, which had been taken back to Spain, and he was able to cycle to work.
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