Austrian politician drunk when crashed

VIENNA, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Far-right Austrian politician Joerg Haider was drunk at the time of his fatal car crash last week, an official from his party said.

Stefan Petzner, the new head of the Alliance for Austria's Future, said Haider's blood-alcohol level was well above the legal limit, BBC reported Wednesday.

"It is correct that ... Joerg Haider was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. I can and must confirm that," Petzner said.

Haider, 58, was driving alone after leaving a nightclub early Saturday when his car crashed. Police said he was traveling at 88 miles per hour, the British network reported.

The accident occurred south of Klagenfurt, the capital of Carinthia, where he was the provincial governor.

Haider was first elected governor of Carinthia in 1989. He was forced to resign in 1991 after praising the employment policies of Nazi Germany.