Difu Zhang, 38: Luxury Mercedes driver had 10 red wines before North Sydney crash

A Mercedes driving pub owner was ‘drunk as a skunk’ after knocking back 10 red wines and driving over the Harbour Bridge on a Saturday night to see his girlfriend — then he stacked it.

Difu Zhang, 38, of Croydon, outside Manly Local Court on Thursday where he was convicted of high range drink driving. He was four times over the legal limit after downing 10 red wines in Chinatown. Picture: Manly Daily

A luxury SUV driving pub owner knocked back 10 red wines in Chinatown before driving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and crashing his Mercedes into an electric substation.

Difu Zhang, 38, who was four times over the limit and was headed for a late Saturday night rendezvous with his girlfriend, also damaged cars parked at North Sydney.

Zhang, from Croydon, who Manly Local Court heard was a part owner in three country hotels, also got out of his Mercedes GLE and left the scene of the incident in Angelo St at 11.30pm on April 6.

Bystanders who witnessed him lose control of the 4WD and crash into the streetside substation, and then reverse into parked cars, unsuccessfully tried to restrain him while police were on their way.

Difu Zhang, 38, of Croydon, outside Manly Local Court on Thursday. The court heard he crashed his Mercedes into an electic substation and parked cars. Picture: Manly Daily

Officers found him about 15 minutes later in a nearby street.

He was arrested and blew 0.208.

Zhang pleaded guilty to one count of high-range drink driving before he was sentenced in court on Thursday.

Magistrate Robyn Denes was told by his barrister that Zhang had met four friends for a meal at Chinatown and had driven his car with the intention of not drinking.

But the court heard that when his mates started talking about his recent divorce, Zhang began to drink, Eight bottles of wine were ordered.

Manly Local Court placed Zhang on a two-year Community Correction Order and disqualified him from driving for nine months. (AAP IMAGE / MONIQUE HARMER)

In a facts sheet tendered to court, police stated that Zhang told then he had 10 glasses between 5.45pm and 9.30pm. He then went to a friends’s apartment in the city, before driving towards his girlfriend’s unit at North Sydney.

Magistrate Denes asked if Zhang’s girlfriend knew he was coming to her home because he must have been “drunk as a skunk”.

His barrister said his client was not “thinking clearly” when he made the decision to drive.

Ms Denes said Zhang had made “irresponsible choices” and that his driving record suggested he had a “level of arrogance and entitlement”.

“These are really serious matters that kill people.”

Ms Denes disqualified Zhang from driving for nine months, fined him $2000 and placed him on a Community Correction Order for two years.