Gareth Charles Dunlop admits to high-range drink driving after Picton crash

A man was busted drink-driving five times over the limit when his ute smashed into a power pole on a Monday morning on his way to work.

A man told police he was driving to work when he crashed his car with two passengers inside before blowing more than five times the legal limit on a Monday morning.

Gareth Charles Dunlop, 33, confirmed a written plea of guilty to high-range drink driving in Picton Local Court on Thursday through his lawyer.

Court documents reveal the Picton resident told police he was driving to work at 10.45am on Monday, July 5, with two passenger in the car. He was travelling on Menangle Rd in a white ute when crashed into a car that had slowed down to turn right and then abruptly stopped, according to the police facts.

As a result of the impact, the facts show Dunlop’s car veered to the left and collided with a power pole. While he was unhurt, the facts state the two occupants of the other car were injured and required medical assistance.

Gareth Charles Dunlop, 33, pleaded guilty to drink driving in Picton Local Court.

Dunlop’s two passengers and one of the occupants of the other car were taken to Campbelltown Hospital for treatment of minor injuries after the collision, the facts state.

According to the facts, police arrived on scene and conducted a roadside breath test on Dunlop. He returned a positive result and a secondary test at the station revealed a blood alcohol result of 0.266 – more than five times the legal limit.

Despite the staggering reading, Dunlop told police he only had three glasses of red wine the night before but admitted he had finished drinking at 4am.

Dunlop was represented by high-powered celebrity lawyer Bryan Wrench,who told the court his client recently completed a 12-week residential rehabilitation program on November 10.

He said his client was ready to proceed with the matter, a sentiment with which Magistrate Mark Douglass agreed. The magistrate noted the matter had been before the court for some time, despite a guilty plea in August.

“I want to try and finish it as soon as I can,” he said.

Dunlop will be sentenced at Moss Vale Court on December 20.