A 30-YEAR-OLD man from Bracknell has pleaded guilty to driving over a level crossing, causing a train to derail in Wokingham just before Christmas last year.
Claudiu Ilinca, 30 and from Nettlecombe, appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on Thursday, August 20, where he admitted drunk driving without insurance.
The incident took place at the Waterloo Road crossing just before midnight on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at the crossing on Waterloo Road.
Ilinca’s car was struck by a train as it went over the crossing. He managed to get out of the car before the train hit it.
Amazingly, no one was seriously injured.
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Police, ambulance and firecrews were on the scene from the early hours of Friday, December 20, and the junction was closed for most of the day, causing replacement buses to be used.
British Transport Police arrested Ilinca on suspicion of drink drinking and endangering safety on the railway.
When he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court, Ilinca admitted endangering the safety of people using the railway.
A breath test revealed that he had 57 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
And he also admitted a third charge of driving without insurance.
Ilinca has been committed to Reading Crown Court for sentencing on a date and time to be fixed and he has been released on unconditional bail. He has an interim disqualification from driving until the court has passed its sentence.
