Gympie man misses Mary Valley turn-off, ploughs into paddock, blows .251%

A Gympie man was more than five times over the limit when he missed a busy Mary Valley turn-off and drove straight into a paddock for 60m without once touching the brakes, the Gympie court has heard.

Dean James Power, 43, was released on probation after he crashed his car into a paddock at Tuchekoi in July 2020.

A 43-year-old Gympie man who blew more than five times the legal limit after crashing his car into a paddock at Tuchekoi was placed on 18 months probation on Thursday.

Dean James Power pleaded guilty in the Gympie Magistrates Court to driving without due care and attention and while under the influence of alcohol on Tuchekoi Rd on July 12, 2020.

Police prosecutor Alison Johnstone said Power returned a BAC of 0.251 after missing the intersection of Tuchekoi Rd and Kenilworth Skyring Creek Rd, and driving into a paddock, coming to rest 60m from the road.

“He failed to negotiate the intersection, travelling straight ahead down a grass embankment before coming to rest in a cattle paddock,” she said.

She said no emergency braking was applied prior to the crash.

Sergeant Johnstone said Power was visibly drunk when police arrived at the scene, and his eyes appeared watery or glazed.

A blood sample was taken to determine his blood alcohol level.

She said Power told police he was looking at his phone at the time of the accident, however police found no evidence to suggest this was true, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Chris Anderson said his client had since repaired the broken fence belonging to the owner of the paddock.

Mr Anderson said the car was repairable, but his client sold it to the wreckers for $1000.

Power was placed on probation for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for the same amount of time.