Drink driver was in his underwear after catastrophic rollover

A young man who drunkenly rolled his car several times along the Warrego Hwy decided to flee the scene of his crash, only to be found by police half naked.

IN COURT: Terence Ian Peter Burchell-Butcher faced Dalby Magistrates Court on two charges.

After fleeing the scene of a drunken crash along the Warrego Highway, a 20-year-old man was found an hour later by police wearing nothing but his underwear.

Terence Ian Peter Burchell-Butcher was lucky to walk away with his life after his catastrophic crash in Macalister during the early hours of December 19.

He faced Dalby Magistrates Court on January 19, charged with driving under the influence of liquor, and driving without due care and attention.

The court heard police were tasked to attend a car accident about 1am along the busy country highway, to find a white Holden Colorado with a smashed windscreen, dents, blood, and multiple smashed bottles of alcohol.

A witness driving behind Burchell-Butcher told police they observed him lose control before he rolled five times along the Warrego Hwy.

Police prosecutor sergeant Derek Brady told the court that the witness provided assistance, however Burchell-Butcher decamped on foot with his swag, even after he sustained injuries.

The court heard police found Burchell-Butcher an hour later on land nearby in his underwear, with minor cuts and abrasions.

He told police at the scene he drank a large amount of Great Northern beers, and was initially going to his vehicle to sleep earlier in the night, and couldn’t remember getting in.

Sergeant Brady said he was taken to hospital, with a blood analysis returning a reading of 0.179.

Magistrate Tracy Mossop told Burchell-Butcher he could’ve easily killed himself or somebody else because of his actions.

Representing himself, he told the court it was his mum’s car, and had paid off the damages following the accident.

Burchell-Butcher said he had not touched alcohol since the crash.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was fined $800 for driving under the influence of liquor, and disqualified from driving for eight months.

A conviction wasn’t recorded.

He was then fined $600 for driving without due care and attention.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as