On March 2, Roman Mentyuk was driving a Volkswagen at 112 mph (180 km/h) along a highway towards Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Traffic police decided to employ controversial tactics to stop the drunk driver and set up a make-shift road block using civilian vehicles lined across the highway.
The cars, containing five people as well as a three-year-old girl, blocked the highway when the drunken Volkswagen driver smashed into them. Luckily no one was killed, although several people were injured.
"The Minsk Regional Court found Mentyuk guilty of driving while drunk causing grievous bodily harm, and sentenced him to five years in prison," the spokesman said.
Mentyuk said he disagreed with the court's decision and plans to appeal. He declared a hunger strike in protest at the verdict.
After the crash Mentyuk was taken to a hospital, but later escaped and was rearrested in Russia in July. The 28-year-old man has a number of previous convictions and has spent a total of 10 years in jail.
The road block incident caused a public outcry and criminal proceedings were launched against the police officers, who were charged with abuse of office and misconduct. The court gave them suspended sentences.
