Van driver admits causing death of highways worker by dangerous driving on M23 near Gatwick

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “A motorist appeared in court and admitted causing the death of a highways worker by dangerous driving.

“Vilius Domarkas, 38, was arrested following the fatal collision on the M23 in the early hours of 8 July this year.

“The incident happened south of the slip road with Junction 9, past Gatwick.

“He was found with his Citroen Relay van with glazed and bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech, he was unsteady on his feet and fell over.

“Drink driving is one of the “fatal five” causes of people being killed and seriously injured on our roads, along with drug-driving, driving at excess speed, not wearing a seatbelt, being distracted behind the wheel such as by using a mobile phone, and careless or dangerous driving.

“Domarkas, of no fixed address, provided an evidential blood sample four hours after the collision with a reading of 221 microgrammes (ug) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. The legal limit is 80ug of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

“At Hove Crown Court on 6 August he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and now awaits sentencing on 28 September.

“The highways worker had stopped inside a coned off area of the slip road and had exited a Ford Transit Dropside when he was struck by Domarkas’ Citroen which veered into the coned off lane.”

Detective Constable Kelly Newton from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “This is another tragic example of drink-driving which has had devastating consequences.

“Domarkas was in no fit state to drive that night, and his own vehicle’s dashcam footage showed him driving erratically prior to the fatal collision.

“He has caused the death of a highways worker and put the lives of all other road users at risk when he got behind the wheel.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the family of the highways worker who died. We await the sentencing on the 28 September.”