A P-plate driver who was so drunk he didn’t remember hitting a tree has lost his licence for 15 months.
Corey Clark, 19, of Boundary Road, Cobden, pleaded guilty to exceeding the prescribed concentration of alcohol, driving in a manner dangerous and wilful damage when he appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The court heard Clark blew .105 in March 11 this year after his car hit a tree.
Earlier the previous evening, Clark had driven his blue Holden sedan to a house in Swanston Street, Terang, where he drank alcohol until being asked to leave at 2am.
After twice leaving and returning to argue with two of the residents, Clark had revved his car and performed a burnout, resulting in a window in the house being broken by flying stones.
He had then driven onto the kerb and spun his wheels.
The court heard that police located Clark’s car on the Cobden-Terang Road in Dixie where he had crashed into a tree, before finding him walking on the road towards Cobden.
Police drove Clark to his home address before taking him to the Warrnambool police station.
During an interview with police after he had sobered up, Clark had admitted to driving while being highly intoxicated.
The court heard Clark had a disability, lived with his parents and was looking for work.
Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said it was obvious that Clark drank too much on this particular night and was unable to make a reasonable choice on how to behave.
He said he didn’t believe he was affected by his disability — it was simply a case of drinking too much.
“You must realise you’re very lucky to be here today at all,” he said.
Clark was convicted and fined $750, had his licence cancelled and was disqualified from driving for 15 months effective from March 11.
He was fined $100 for wilful damage.
