A DRUNK Warrnambool man who narrowly missed colliding with an unmarked police vehicle and then drove at almost twice the speed limit has lost his licence for 16 months.
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Arie Bronkhorst, 24, of Rooneys Road, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to drink-driving, driving at a dangerous speed and failing to give way.
He was convicted and fined $750 with $110 costs and his licence was cancelled for 16 months.
Police alleged that on November 1 last year Bronkhorst turned left from Fairy Street into Koroit Street and headed west.
Police clocked Bronkhorst at 98km/h in a 50km/h zone and a check found the vehicle’s registration had expired on October 27. He also recorded an alcohol reading of .164.
Bronkhorst admitted to police he had consumed a large amount of alcohol, but he thought he had enough room to get through the roundabout and only sped up because the police vehicle was close behind him.
He said he had been egged on by friends and was “stupid”.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said unfortunately the circumstances of the offending were not unusual and Bronkhorst should not have been diving at all.
He said the defendant would have to jump through a number of hoops to get his driver’s licence back, including an alcohol interlock device condition, and it was fortunate no one was injured.