14 March 2013

Drink driver smashes into the Belco Coles Express

| johnboy
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coles belconnen

A 38-year-old Belconnen man was more than three times over the legal limit when his vehicle collided with a service station last night (Wednesday March 13).

Around 10pm the disqualified driver failed to control the black Nissan Z51 Murano when entering the Belconnen Shell service station. The vehicle struck a petrol bowser before crashing into the Coles shop-front. No-one was injured during the incident.

The man, whose licence had been disqualified for a previous drink-driving offence, returned a positive road-side screening test and was transported to Belconnen Police Station for breath analysis.

The driver returned a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) reading of 0.169.

The man will face ACT Magistrates Court, where he will be charged with driving whilst over the prescribed concentration of alcohol and driving whilst
disqualified.

Acting Superintendent of Traffic Operations Rod Anderson said incidents like this demonstrate the dangers of drink-driving.

“I’m astounded at the actions of this man. Driving intoxicated into an area full of combustible liquids has the potential to create a real disaster, particularly in one of our more populated areas. It’s extremely fortunate this incident didn’t have a worse outcome. The community has every right to be outraged by his behaviour”, A/Supt Anderson said.

ACT Policing urge observe anyone you believe may be driving intoxicated, or driving in a dangerous manner, you to report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

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54-11 said :

Where’s Mully when we need him?

Right where he belongs – six foot under, feeding worms.

Hmmm… reading the police statement, I don’t get a clear picture reflected by the photo: “before crashing into the Coles shop-front” – looks to me like he crashed through the shop-front, possibly through some shelving and into the opposite wall

“Failed to control” – well the circumstances sound like flooring the accelerator instead of the brake, easy mistake when pissed, though novice and elderly drivers sometimes do it too when sober.

Very lucky there were no customers in the shop or forecourt to be run over. Driving such an expensive car, this dude probably has assets, though no doubt they’ll be in the company’s name, the wife’s name or in a family trust.

He wasn’t even sensible enough to drive straight home from wherever he was drinking – who stops for petrol or munchies when they’re drunk? That’s asking to be dobbed in.

IP

Where’s Mully when we need him?

Incomprehensible. How in gods name can you drive into a service station fast enough to do that amount of damage? Look how the right rear wheel is buckled out. It’s amazing nobody was killed by the impact, and even more amazing that there was no subsequent fire or explosion, given that he went through a bowser first.

And with the priors, and being disqualified etc, I’d give him 12 months in the slammer if I was the beak. But I’m not, so I suppose that won’t happen and he’ll be happily driving around drunk without a license again in a few weeks. If we’re all lucky, he’ll avoid us and be killed in a single vehicle accident ASAFP.

Clearly needed a sign saying “Dismount Vehicle before entering shop”, this guy should (but won’t) do real jail time for this. Can we name and shame like dodgy food establishments ??

peitab, because the crinoid behind the wheel was pissed, he probably can’t be charged for the damage as he’d have a good diminished responsibility case. Coles’ insurance company can sue him for the damage and I hope they do.

Genie said :

I hope the insurance company fails to pay out, and the idiot has to fix that car and pay for damages…

unlicensed?

I hope the insurance company fails to pay out, and the idiot has to fix that car and pay for damages…

“You drink, you drive, you get pulled over, you get done at .051. You were over the prescribed amount. Bugger. Do you really think that should require interlocks fitted to all your cars? At your expense?” Edited – for brevity and legal clarity. Yes.

“You can drive at 84 km/h in a school zone and only lose 4 points off your licence but if you get caught at 0.051 you think interlocks should go on all your cars? That’s just idiotic.” No, idiotic is allowing people to pay a fine into consolidated revenue rather than a preventative measure to reduce the risk of a repeat incident. I’ve previously argued that instead of speeding fines, people should pay to attend a half-day driving skills/attitude readjustment course. Excess speed can be checked and acted upon by a driver in the car (speedo/GPS) but DUI can’t – at present.

It’s different for high range or multiple offences but a first time low range offence doesn’t deserve that level of punishment. Clearly you’re ok with driving just a little illegally and impaired, me not so much. Nor with sending out the signal that you can get caught once and get a free pass.

I never understand why they’re not charged with an offence over the damage they’ve caused as well.

p996911turbo4:48 pm 14 Mar 13

Reprobate said :

Time for mandatory alcohol interlocks to be fitted on all vehicles garaged at an offender’s address, even for a first/low range offence. Cost to be borne by the offender instead of a fine.

So say you were lucky that evening at your local restaurant and the waiter put just a little more wine into your glass. And then you left early. You had thought about it, you’d only had one glass, you had no intention of drink driving but you just hadn’t calculated it quite right. You get pulled over, you get done at .051. You were one thousandth of a percent over the prescribed amount. Bugger. Do you really think that should require interlocks fitted to all your cars? At your expense?

You can drive at 84 km/h in a school zone and only lose 4 points off your licence but if you get caught at 0.051 you think interlocks should go on all your cars? That’s just idiotic.

It’s different for high range or multiple offences but a first time low range offence doesn’t deserve that level of punishment.

shirty_bear said :

thatsnotme said :

It brings a smile to my face to know that as a disqualified, drunk driver, this loser won’t be insured – so had likely written off an expensive car for which he hopefully still owes money, and will be liable for the damage done to the service station. The magistrate may end up giving him a slap on the wrist, but I doubt the shop’s insurance company will let him off as easily.

Initially pleasing to think champ will cop a massive damages bill … until you consider that he’ll just cop a $10/week dole reduction for the rest of his life … will never get anywhere near covering actual costs.

Will get an additional licence disqualification too … but what does the duration matter when you’re already driving while disqualified?

I’m making some assumptions here, which could well be wrong, but if this guy actually owns the car he was driving, it doesn’t strike me as the type of car your average white commodore driving dole bludger could affford. That model of Murano was released in 2009, and 2nd hand models still go for almost $30k. They’re closer to $50k new.

Although after an effort like this, I’d not be surprised if he needed the dole pretty quickly.

Acting Superintendent of Traffic Operations Rod Anderson said incidents like this demonstrate the dangers of drink-driving.
“I’m astounded at the actions of this man. Driving intoxicated into an area full of combustible liquids has the potential to create a real disaster, particularly in one of our more populated areas.”

1) Duh!
2) Not sure that the loser, er alleged perp, had cognitive consideration that this particular sequence of events would occur.

Oh, and
“The man, whose licence had been disqualified for a previous drink-driving offence…”
Time for mandatory alcohol interlocks to be fitted on all vehicles garaged at an offender’s address, even for a first/low range offence. Cost to be borne by the offender instead of a fine.

thatsnotme said :

I doubt the shop’s insurance company will let him off as easily.

I doubt that the offender has any care for that kind of stuff.

Who in their right mind would get behind a wheel, disqualified, drunk to stupor, and drive at such speed as to smash through a shop?

I’m guessing this but the guy appears to be on a path to self-destruction.

thatsnotme said :

It brings a smile to my face to know that as a disqualified, drunk driver, this loser won’t be insured – so had likely written off an expensive car for which he hopefully still owes money, and will be liable for the damage done to the service station. The magistrate may end up giving him a slap on the wrist, but I doubt the shop’s insurance company will let him off as easily.

Initially pleasing to think champ will cop a massive damages bill … until you consider that he’ll just cop a $10/week dole reduction for the rest of his life … will never get anywhere near covering actual costs.

Will get an additional licence disqualification too … but what does the duration matter when you’re already driving while disqualified?

It brings a smile to my face to know that as a disqualified, drunk driver, this loser won’t be insured – so had likely written off an expensive car for which he hopefully still owes money, and will be liable for the damage done to the service station. The magistrate may end up giving him a slap on the wrist, but I doubt the shop’s insurance company will let him off as easily.

Ben_Dover said :

bundah said :

You’re kidding at worst he’ll get his licence suspended probably for no more than a week and he’ll have to write an essay!

Only bad cricketers get sentenced to essay writing.

At this rate we’ll need to drive a car through the stumps if we stand any chance of pulling off a win.

Its a very good thing no one was injured, this ticks all the boxes for massive disaster potential.

bundah said :

You’re kidding at worst he’ll get his licence suspended probably for no more than a week and he’ll have to write an essay!

Only bad cricketers get sentenced to essay writing.

p996911turbo3:21 pm 14 Mar 13

Whoa, that’s a bit more of a crash than “failed to control the black Nissan…” prepared me for.

Ben_Dover said :

Ok, I’ll start the bidding at a year’s weekend detention, any takers?

You’re kidding at worst he’ll get his licence suspended probably for no more than a week and he’ll have to write an essay!

Ok, I’ll start the bidding at a year’s weekend detention, any takers?

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