Samuel Gordon Redding fronts Dalby Magistrates Court for high range drink driving offence

Following a trail of liquid after reports a car had crashed at a roundabout, police were led to a high-range drink driver and his smashed-up car. Find out more here.

A man who crashed his car while highly intoxicated and using his mobile phone has been hit with a hefty fine.

Samuel Gordon Redding faced Dalby Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to driving without due care and a slew of other driving offences following the incident on May 14, 2024.

The court was told about 7.32pm they were called to the scene of a crash on Branch Creek Rd after reports a car had hit a sign at a roundabout.

When they arrived there was no car at the scene, however there was a trail of liquid which police followed to a backyard where they found the 34-year-old’s smashed car.

Redding was forthcoming with police and admitted to using his phone prior to the crash and submitted to a breath test where he blew a high range reading of 0.152.

The court was told Redding had his own truck driving business which used to employ three drivers but had recently fallen on hard times, with Redding now being the only driver.

He was also paying off $25,000 a month in repayments on trucks he had purchased while supporting two young children through school.

When sentencing Magistrate Kathleen Payne took into account the out of character offending but warned Redding of the potentially deadly consequences of driving under the influence and using a phone while driving.

He was hit with a $2000 fine and a six month loss of licence.

No conviction was recorded.