Liam McEwen’s hit and run at Mittagong business after boozy Australia Day

He tried to reverse after ploughing into a business’ fence but his car caught on a damaged water main now spraying water over the street - “F*** it, I’m legging it,” he said.

A young drunk man was craving chocolate so much he drove to the nearby service station to get some and ended up crashing into a Mittagong business.

Liam Bruce McEwen, 26, appeared in Moss Vale Local Court after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, driving while his licence was suspended, and failing to give his details to the owner of the property damaged in the crash.

The court heard the Mittagong resident had spent part of Australia Day at a nearby pub drinking Strongbow ciders before he headed home on foot. But when McEwen got home, court documents show he had an unbearable craving for chocolate and decided to drive to the service station on Old Hume Highway, despite having a suspended licence.

Liam Bruce McEwen was busted for drink driving to get a bar of chocolate and then smashing into a Mittagong business.

According to court documents, McEwen had picked up the chocolate at around 10pm and was driving home along Priestly Street when he lost control of the car and swerved to the left, crashing into the fence of a mechanical workshop.

Police facts state he tried to reverse the car but it was caught on a water main, which was damaged in the crash and spraying water everywhere. Despite several efforts, the facts show he couldn’t dislodge the car from the busted fence.

McEwen was approached by the owner of the business, who told police she heard the engine revving outside her business. Police facts show McEwen was trying to get back into the driver’s seat when she approached, so she took his keys and told him she was calling the police.

According to the facts, he decided to do a runner.

“F*** it, I’m legging it,” he told the business owner.

The facts show he “stumbled from the location” and ran through the gushing water main before running towards his home. Police put two and two together when they learned the car was registered to him and found him at home soon after, wet from the waist down.

Police said he was “heavily intoxicated” and needed to prop himself up against the door to stand when he was talking to them.

McEwen’s lawyer Fiona Kay said her client recognised the idiocy of his alcohol-addled actions on Australia Day.

TTA Mechanical is the Mittagong business that Liam Bruce McEwen crashed into after a boozy Australia Day. Picture: Google Maps

“There is no doubt on that evening he did a very stupid thing,” she said.

“He fled from the scene in utter panic.”

Despite his initial denial of any wrongdoing, Ms Kay said her client was quick to plead guilty to the offences. She said the traffic offenders course and not being able to drive had opened McEwen’s eyes to the privilege of having a licence.

“He is a young man who has learnt his lesson,” she said.

Magistrate Mark Douglass agreed McEwen had “made a mistake”, although he reminded the offender the charges were very serious.

He sentenced McEwen to a community corrections order for 12 months and disqualified him from driving for six months. McEwen was also fined $600.