Alleged drunk driver hits pedestrian at Haymarket
A serial drink driving offender has fronted court after crashing into a pedestrian in Sydney’s CBD while allegedly four times over the legal alcohol limit.
Central Sydney
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A serial drink driving offender has fronted court after crashing into a pedestrian in Sydney’s CBD while allegedly four times over the legal alcohol limit.
Chinese national Liwen Xu, 26, allegedly struck a pedestrian in Haymarket while driving an expensive BMW 435i convertible about 3am on Thursday morning.
The collision caused the windscreen of his vehicle to smash.
The pedestrian was treated at the scene – near the intersection of Quay St and Ultimo Rd – and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A court heard on Thursday Xu has two previous drink driving offences on his record.
Police spoke to Xu at the scene and he allegedly refused to participate in a roadside breath test.
He was arrested and taken to Day Street Police Station and allegedly returned a breath analysis of 0.216 – more than four times over the legal alcohol limit for a driver on a full licence.
He has been charged with high-range drink driving and negligent driving.
He appeared at Central Local Court on Thursday via audio visual link where his defence lawyer successfully applied for bail.
Magistrate Megan Greenwood placed him on strict bail conditions and stated his record was of “real concern”.
“It is astonishingly still a prevalent offence in this court, drink driving,” she said.
“It is of real concern that there are two previous drink driving matters (on your record) and that does not seem to have dissuaded you.”
She also said, looking at his record, it was likely a custodial sentence would be imposed in the future.
His strict bail conditions include to reside at his home in Olympic Park, to abstain from alcohol and drugs, not to occupy the driver’s seat of a vehicle, to surrender his passport, and to keep a curfew to not leave home after 8pm each night.
When asked about his income, Xu’s defence lawyer said his client had no income and he relied solely on his parents, who lived overseas.
No plea was entered and Xu is due back in court next month