VIDEO: Drink-driver jailed for 10 years after killing highways worker on M23 near Crawley

A drink-driver who killed a highways worker after crashing into a coned-off area of the M23 near Crawley has been jailed for 10 years.

Vilius Domarkas, 38 of no fixed abode, lost control of his Citroen Relay and veered into a closed lane on the southbound slip road at junction 9, striking 65-year-old Tony Howe as he worked inside the coned-off area.

Mr Howe, from Kent, suffered devastating injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family described him as a “gentle giant” who was “kind, generous, caring, hardworking and selfless”.

Domarkas, appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 28 September after previously admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and disqualified from driving for 16 years and eight months.

The collision happened at around 12.40am on 8 July.

Mr Howe had stopped his work vehicle, a Ford Transit Dropside, inside the coned-off section of the slip road and had got out of the vehicle.

The Transit’s lights were illuminated and Mr Howe was wearing high-visibility clothing when Domarkas’s van entered the closed lane and struck him.

Police said Domarkas continued driving for around 800 metres before eventually stopping, with a traffic cone still wedged underneath one of the van’s tyres.

He later called 999 to report that his windscreen had been damaged but said he did not know how it had happened.

When officers arrested Domarkas, they noticed his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet.

Alcohol bottles and cans were also found inside his van.

Four hours after the collision, Domarkas provided a blood sample which showed 221 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 microgrammes.

Police estimated that at the time of the collision he had been between three and four times over the legal alcohol limit.

Mr Howe’s partner and family said his death had left them heartbroken.

They said: “Tony lost his life because Domarkas made a choice. A choice to get into a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. He made a choice that has stolen our happily ever after. A choice that killed a loving partner, sibling and father.”

They said Mr Howe had gone to work as normal that day but never returned home, describing the loss of their future together as “devastating”.

Vilius Domarkas caused the death of a highways worker on the M23 near Crawley

Detective Constable Kelly Newton, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This was a devastating collision which has had a huge impact on the family and loved ones of the highways worker. Our thoughts continue to be with them through this difficult period.

“It is a tragic example of the impact of drink-driving, because Domarkas was not in a fit state to be behind the wheel.

“Drink-driving is one of the ‘fatal five’ causes of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads. Domarkas is now serving a custodial sentence.”

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