Actor Vytautas Rumšas Jr. was granted a discharge from criminal liability by the Vilnius City District Court on October 7, following a July 25 incident where he drove a BMW X6 while intoxicated in Vilnius, registering a blood alcohol level of 1.84 and 1.86 promilles. Judge Ieva Narbutaitė placed him under the guardianship of his father, actor and director Vytautas Rumšas, for a one-year term without bail.
The Bottom Line
- The Vilnius City District Court dismissed the criminal case against Vytautas Rumšas Jr. under a one-year probation period overseen by his father, Vytautas Rumšas.
- The court stripped the actor of his driving privileges for two years, running from July 27, and mandated his attendance at an alcoholism prevention program.
- Authorities seized the BMW X6, ruling it a direct instrument of a crime.
The Morning Arrest on Ukmergė Street
The legal fallout began early in the morning on July 25, when police officers pulled over a BMW X6 traveling toward the Šeškinė hill on Vilnius’s Ukmergės gatvė before 7:00 AM, as detailed by Alfa.lt. Upon stopping the vehicle, law enforcement immediately questioned the driver’s sobriety. Breathalyzer tests administered at the scene recorded a reading of 1.84 promilles, which rose to 1.86 promilles a dozen minutes later. Because the reading exceeded the 1.5 promille threshold under Lithuanian law, the incident triggered formal criminal proceedings rather than a routine administrative fine.
During court proceedings, the actor fully admitted his guilt and outlined the events leading up to the stop. He spent the previous evening with friends, lost his phone, and fell asleep at his office. Awaking under heavy stress regarding his professional workload the following morning, he drove away without properly assessing his physical condition.
Parental Guardianship and Judicial Rationale
During the hearings, state prosecutor Rytis Ivanauskas proposed a two-year driving ban, the confiscation of the vehicle, participation in an alcoholism prevention program, and a 2,000-euro bail. While the court adopted the driving ban, the mandatory prevention program, and the vehicle seizure, it broke from the prosecution by waiving the financial bail requirement.
Judge Ieva Narbutaitė explained that financial collateral was unnecessary because of the close, long-standing relationship between the defendant and his guarantor. “The defendant’s father is an authority to his son,” the judge noted, expressing confidence that mutual respect and strong family ties would ensure proper supervision. The court also highlighted that the younger Rumšas is characterized in an exclusively positive light, has no prior criminal record, and has promptly settled past administrative fines.
Vehicle Seizure
A notable point of the October 7 ruling involved the physical confiscation of the BMW X6. The court established that the vehicle, which belonged to a small partnership managed by the actor, functioned on that July morning not as a work or transport tool, but directly as an instrument used to commit a criminal offense.
Judge Narbutaitė clarified that the court ordered the physical seizure of the vehicle.
| Legal Sanction | Applied Measure | Source Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Liability | Discharged under 1-year probation | Vilnius City District Court |
| Driving Privileges | Revoked for 2 years (from July 27) | Vilnius City District Court |
| Rehabilitation | Mandatory alcoholism prevention courses | Vilnius City District Court |
| Asset Action | Physical confiscation of BMW X6 | Vilnius City District Court |
The initial verdict handed down by the Vilnius City District Court remains subject to appeal, leaving open the possibility of further legal challenges in the weeks ahead.
