Drug driver crashed car in ditch then ate cake with scissors

When police arrived at the Mary Valley Highway crash scene they found the 40-year-old trying to eat cheesecake with scissors

When police attended the crash they found a drug affected 40-year-old man trying to eat cheesecake using scissors. Picture: File

A 40-year-old Gympie region man was rushing home on November 19 last year, with a significant amount of Xanax in his system when he crashed his car into a ditch at Long Flat.

When police approached the Ford Falcon, Jason Williams was seen trying to eat a piece of cheesecake with scissors, indicating his level of intoxication.

Williams received a negative result on his breath test before being submitted to Gympie Hospital for a blood analysis.

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Police prosecutor Michael Phillips said a number of witnesses called police, advising them of Williams's dangerous driving and the crash.

"[They were] being tailgated by the defendant at this time when the vehicle had manoeuvred to undertake (sic) the witness's vehicle by utilising the turning lane," Sergeant Phillips said.

(To undertake is to overtake a slower moving vehicle from the left hand side.)

After two failed attempts to undertake, Williams swerved around the car, crossed the double white lines and travelled on to the wrong side of the road, the court heard.

Once he returned to the correct side of the road, he lost control of the vehicle and veered back into the incoming lane, crashing into a ditch.

Sgt Phillips said when police arrived on the scene, Williams appeared to be uninjured.

"Police observed the defendant attempting to eat a section of cheesecake with a pair of scissors," he said.

"The defendant was slow to react, had slurred speech and upon exiting the vehicle was unable to stand without the aid of the vehicle."

Police searched Williams and his car, finding a bag of marijuana, a grinder, scissors, cone piece and prescription medication.

At the hospital, Williams told police he had not slept in three days due to his ADD and was rushing to tend to his dog at home.

Gympie Magistrates Court.

Solicitor Leanne McIntosh said prior to the incident, one of Williams' dogs was shot by a neighbour.

"Mr Williams was told where the dog had been buried, when he'd gone to retrieve the dog's body he slipped down and embankment and that's when he broke his foot," Ms McIntosh said.

"He instructs that he had dug up the dog and it had brought back memories of when he had found his girlfriend who had been buried n a shallow grave those years earlier."

Ms McIntosh said Williams also suffered a range of mental illnesses and was driving back after filling one of his prescriptions.

"He'd gone into town and purchased the Xanax and admits that he had taken a number of those Xanax before getting in the vehicle," she said.

"It does have a sedative effect."

Sgt Phillips told the court Williams' driving was "particularly dangerous" due to the road's speed of 100km per hour and large volume of traffic.

"Not only his actions in trying to undertake each car, the fact that he had not slept for three days and was under the influence - he shouldn't have been in the car in the first place," he said.

Magistrate Callaghan said Williams' actions were "appalling".

"It was dangerous to you and dangerous to other people on the road," Mr Callaghan said.

Williams was sentenced to six months jail, to be released on parole immediately, and his license was disqualified for 12 months.

On the drugs charges, Williams was fined $300 and convictions were recorded.

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