FUKUOKA (TR) – Fukuoka Prefectural Police have arrested a 49-year-old care worker for driving under the influence of alcohol after a suspicious reaction to a passing patrol car gave him away, reports RKB Mainichi Broadcasting (Aug. 12).
Hirotoshi Marutsuka, a resident of Kasuga-cho in Tagawa City, was taken into custody in the early hours on Wednesday. He has admitted to the allegations, telling investigators, “I felt like alcohol was still in my system, but I had to go pick up my girlfriend.”
According to police, the incident occurred shortly after 3:30 a.m. Officers on patrol near an intersection in Chuo-cho noticed a light passenger car making a right turn. When the driver spotted the patrol car, he noticeably turned his face away to avoid eye contact, prompting officers to initiate a traffic stop.
While speaking with Marutsuka, officers detected the strong odor of alcohol. A subsequent breathalyzer test detected 0.88 milligrams of alcohol per liter of breath — well above the threshold for intoxication — resulting in his arrest on the spot.
During questioning, the suspect stated he had consumed three 500-milliliter cans of beer at home between 9:00 p.m. and midnight before getting behind the wheel.
However, the situation has also ensnared Marutsuka’s girlfriend, who was riding in the passenger seat at the time of the traffic stop. She reportedly told officers, “I drank alcohol at a bar with my boyfriend.”
Police are now investigating the case with the intention of pursuing charges against the woman for knowingly riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by an intoxicated person, a strict violation under Japanese traffic law.
