Bendorf: Driver under alcohol and drug influence
On Sunday morning, 28 June 2026, police in Bendorf removed an intoxicated driver from traffic at around 6:30 a.m. who was also under the influence of narcotics. A patrol crew from Bendorf police inspection had checked the car in the city area and encountered several irregularities that led to extensive police measures and criminal proceedings.
Traffic check in the early Sunday morning
Bendorf is located in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, directly on the right bank of the Rhine opposite Koblenz. The small town with around 17,000 inhabitants falls within the jurisdiction of Koblenz police directorate. The check took place at dawn, when traffic on the city's streets was still comparatively light. Nevertheless, patrol crews routinely conduct traffic checks even at this early hour to identify conspicuous driving behaviour at an early stage.
Officers had stopped the car in the city area of Bendorf and initiated a standard check. Already during this inspection, the driver's behaviour attracted attention, prompting officers to carry out more detailed examinations. The driver was a 21-year-old man whose identity was not named in the press release.
Suspicion of alcohol and breathalyser test
During the traffic check, officers noticed clear signs of alcohol consumption in the driver. Such external indications can include smell, unsteady movements, conspicuous eyes or impaired communication. Based on these observations, officers conducted a breathalyser test that confirmed the suspicion.
Breath alcohol measuring devices are part of the standard equipment of every patrol crew and provide a first reliable indication of a road user's blood alcohol level within a few minutes. A positive preliminary test alone is not sufficient for prosecution, but forms the basis for further measures such as blood sampling for forensic documentation of the finding.
Positive drug test for narcotics
In addition to the alcohol suspicion, a drug test on the 21-year-old also returned positive for narcotics consumption. The matter thus shifted from a possible traffic offence involving alcohol alone to the more complex area of driving under the simultaneous influence of several intoxicating substances. Police rapid drug tests are routinely used when corresponding suspicion exists and can detect various substance groups.
Driving under the influence of narcotics is criminally relevant in Germany and can be prosecuted under Section 24a of the Road Traffic Act. Simultaneous alcohol intoxication significantly intensifies the legal assessment of the incident, as both substances impair driving ability and markedly increase the risk of serious accidents. For other road users, such a combination poses a considerable hazard.
Blood sampling at hospital
Due to the positive test results, officers ordered a blood sample, which was taken at a hospital by a doctor. This procedure is prescribed by law and serves to forensically document the actual blood alcohol and drug levels. Only laboratory analysis of the blood sample provides a reliable basis for criminal proceedings and possible entries in the driver fitness register.
Blood sampling under medical supervision ensures that the collection meets forensic requirements and can later be used as evidence in court. For the person concerned, this means that the results of the examination will be decisive for the further course of the proceedings.
Driving licence seized and further journey prohibited
On site, officers seized the 21-year-old man's driving licence and prohibited him from continuing his journey. Immediate confiscation of the driving licence is a common police measure in serious suspected cases in road traffic to prevent an immediate hazard to other road users. The car was no longer left in the hands of the alcohol- and drug-impaired driver after the check.
The prohibition on continuing the journey means that the man was not permitted to move the vehicle himself from the check location. Depending on circumstances, the vehicle is collected by relatives, towed or secured in another way. For the young driver, the loss of the driving licence on site means immediate practical restrictions, regardless of the outcome of the later proceedings.
Criminal proceedings initiated
Police have initiated criminal proceedings. These cover both the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and the detection of narcotics during the traffic check. The competent public prosecutor's office will decide on further steps once the blood test results are available, which can range from fines and driving bans to withdrawal of the driving licence.
For drivers under 21 in Germany, stricter blood alcohol limits apply than for experienced motorists. For novice drivers in the probationary period, violations can entail additional consequences, including extension of the probationary period or mandatory attendance at a remedial seminar. Bendorf police inspection carefully documented the entire course of the check and initiated all required procedural steps.
Koblenz police directorate and enquiries
Koblenz police directorate is responsible for police enforcement in Bendorf and the surrounding region. Media enquiries about the incident should be directed to Bendorf police inspection, PHK Floeth, on telephone number 02622-94020. Press releases from Rhineland-Palatinate police may be published provided the source is cited. The report was distributed via Koblenz police directorate's press portal.
Traffic checks with positive alcohol and drug tests are not isolated cases for police in Rhineland-Palatinate, but part of daily operational activity in combating dangerous driving under the influence of intoxicating substances. The early Sunday morning in Bendorf once again shows that checks are conducted consistently even at unusual times of day when road users display conspicuous behaviour.
