Drunk on Bundy rum, erratic young driver Riley Wayne Deakin put videos on Snapchat

The 21-year-old’s drink-driving was so bad, a roadworks traffic controller reported it to police.

A rum-fuelled drink-driving episode led to a young man putting videos of his erratic driving on Snapchat and a roadworks traffic controller reporting him to police.

Riley Wayne Deakin, 21, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on November 24 to drink-driving.

The court heard that on October 31, police at Baralaba saw a white Toyota HiLux travelling at high speed “out of town and back into town”.

A police officer later saw that same vehicle parked outside of the Baralaba Hotel and Deakin got out of the driver’s side.

Deakin, who resides in the Boyne Island area and works as a rural contractor at Baralaba, walked into the pub through a side entrance.

Three hours later, police received a call from a traffic controller at roadworks on Theodore-Baralaba Road who was concerned about Deakin’s manner of driving.

Police attended the scene and spoke to the traffic controller who reported seeing the HiLux driving erratically and performing a prohibited U-turn in the roadworks.

“Further information was then received that the defendant had played videos on his Snapchat of him driving,” Police prosecutor Brandy Butler said.

While police were conducting patrols, a community member reported Deakin’s vehicle on Dunstan Street, Baralaba.

After receiving more information, police attended a residence at Power St where they saw the HiLux parked.

They saw the keys still in the ignition and the vehicle was unlocked.

Deakin was inside the house and was subsequently arrested.

He was taken to Baralaba Police Station where he made admissions to driving the HiLux.

He returned a positive blood alcohol reading of .152.

Deakin told police he had been drinking Bundaberg rum before driving.

The court heard that Deakin had personally apologised to the police officer who arrested him and that his traffic history was not of much relevance in this matter.

A solicitor said Deakin had had somewhat of “a cavalier attitude” towards his driver’s licence.

“He had some real (personal) issues prevailing upon him that night,” the solicitor said.

“They may have been really perpetuated by the level of alcohol on board.”

The court heard that Deakin was employed with a plumbing company having previously worked for Gladstone Ports Corporation.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Deakin $1050 and disqualified him from driving for six months.