'This could have been a bloodbath'

A BARGARA man who drove under the influence of marijuana and prescription drugs was a “ticking time bomb” when he got behind the wheel, a court heard.

A BARGARA man who drove under the influence of marijuana and prescription drugs was a “ticking time bomb” when he got behind the wheel of his car last year, a court heard.

Simon Craig Oleinkoff was sentenced to more than two years jail yesterday after pleading guilty to a host of driving offences including dangerous driving while adversely affected, drink-driving and driving while disqualified.

Prosecutor John Copley said on July 7, 2010, a driver called police after Oleinkoff drove dangerously behind him along the Bundaberg-Bargara Rd about 3pm.

Mr Copley said Oleinkoff was swerving over the road, speeding up and slowing down and driving in the wrong lane.

The dangerous behaviour ended when Oleinkoff went around a corner near a school at 100kmh on the wrong side of the road, jumped a 1m ditch and smashed into a power pole staywire.

The prosecutor said the dangerous driving by Oleinkoff over the years was “not just persistent, it's almost habitual”.

“You may not think so now, but you were extraordinarily lucky you came out of this alive,” Judge Leanne Clare told Oleinkoff.

“If this was not school holidays, this could easily have been a bloodbath ... this is a place where children and their parents walk every day.” Judge Clare said Oleinkoff had driven despite his licence being disqualified.

The judge sentenced Oleinkoff to 2.5 years jail with parole release after 10 months.

“This will mean you'll have an opportunity to dry out,” she said. “It is very clear that you have a very serious substance abuse problem.”

Originally published as 'This could have been a bloodbath'