DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
Swiss news & articles
Swiss man tries to report crime, gets arrested for drunk driving
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Swiss man tries to report crime, gets arrested for drunk driving

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Mallard duck caught speeding in SwitzerlandMallard duck caught speeding in Switzerland
Man caught with crocodile head in luggage at Zurich AirportMan caught with crocodile head in luggage at Zurich Airport
Zurich compost inspections named Switzerland's silliest law for 2024Zurich compost inspections named Switzerland's silliest law for 2024
Zurich police investigated after leaving woman marooned on islandZurich police investigated after leaving woman marooned on island
[Video] Wil Carnival-goers attempt to fill Swiss police car with confetti[Video] Wil Carnival-goers attempt to fill Swiss police car with confetti
Expat in Zurich fined for putting a small cardboard box in a tram stop binExpat in Zurich fined for putting a small cardboard box in a tram stop bin
Swiss police department reveal their strangest crimes of 2023Swiss police department reveal their strangest crimes of 2023
Swiss fire brigade scrambled 10 separate times because of pigeons Swiss fire brigade scrambled 10 separate times because of pigeons
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Jul 27, 2023
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

As residents of Switzerland, we all know a person who epitomises the word Bünzli - be it enforcing the 10pm noise curfew with an iron fist or calculating the exact amount to pay at a group dinner. However, while they are often in the right, it can be satisfying when the tables turn: a new report from Canton Obwalden has revealed that a motorist who visited a police station to complain about another driver was himself declared drunk and arrested.

Reporter becomes the reported at Swiss police station

According to a statement given by Swiss police, at around 4.30pm on July 20, a car pulled into the police station in the town of Stans, Canton Nidwalden. Not long after, in-sauntered a man who said he wanted to launch a formal complaint against another driver, who he said committed a traffic violation that could have caused a road accident.

Unfortunately for him, officers soon started to notice a small flaw that may have made the good Samaritan's account slightly less reliable: in the words of 20 Minuten, “He reeked of alcohol.” The emergency services then tested the man and found that in his efforts to register a complaint, he had decided that it was worth driving drunk.

Driver risks losing licence over incident

The accused told the officers that he had consumed the boose long before he set off, but a subsequent blood and urine test confirmed that the man had indeed thrown caution to the wind in his crusade to register his complaint. He was dismissed from the station and told to walk home.

Now, the driver faces court proceedings over his actions and may have his driving licence revoked as a result. One could say the lesson here is that while it is important to report any crime you see, make sure to not commit a crime in your efforts to let someone know.

By Jan de Boer