Taxi driver in fatal Helsinki crash had prior drink-driving suspicion

A taxi driver suspected of killing two pedestrians in a hit-and-run on Helsinki’s Itäväylä in late June 2026 was previously suspected of drink-driving in June 2024, reports Ilta-Sanomat.

In the 2024 case, police received a report that the driver had been drinking beer while driving and that his driving was erratic. Officers administered two breath tests five minutes apart; the second registered 0.26 milligrams per litre, roughly 0.5–0.6 per mille.

After applying a margin of error, the result fell below the legal limit, and the investigation was closed without charges. The driver admitted to drinking one beer before picking up a passenger.