Maxwell Hunt: Drunk driver collided with 10 neighbours’ parked cars

A South Hurstville man has fronted court for the first time after he collided with 10 of his neighbours’ parked cars. Read how the damage occurred in the quiet street.

A young driver who collided with 10 of his neighbours’ cars while he was drunk has been forced to face his alcohol addiction when he appeared in court.

Maxwell Hunt, 20, got behind the wheel and barely left his parking spot before he crashed into parked cars along his quiet South Hurstville street late at night.

It was only the intervention of a concerned neighbour who heard the carnage and pulled Hunt’s keys from the ignition that stopped him from causing any more damage.

Hunt appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where agreed facts said police were called to West Street, South Hurstville, following reports of a multi-vehicle crash about 11.25pm on March 27.

Hunt had gotten into his white Ford Ranger and started driving after drinking eight to 10 beers between 5pm and 10.30pm that day.

Hunt was driving along West Street when he collided with 10 cars that were parked and unattended in the street, the police documents tendered to court said.

Maxwell Hunt was driving while drunk when he collided with 10 cars that were parked and unattended in his street in South Hurstville in March. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Police said all cars received damage and Hunt did not stop to exchange details, with part of the collision being captured on CCTV footage.

One of the victims heard the impact and got in his own car before stopping a short distance away behind Hunt.

The documents said Hunt had put his car in reverse and was attempting to leave when the man reached inside and turned the ignition off to which Hunt said, “get your hands out of the car or I will fight you”.

The man backed away and said, “stay in the car before half the street will come after you”.

Meanwhile, another resident called the police.

Officers arrived a short time later and spoke with Hunt before subjecting him to a roadside breath test that returned a positive reading, the agreed facts said.

They noted his car had damage to the front passenger side bumper.

Hunt appeared affected by alcohol with his speech slurred, his face red and eyes bloodshot.

Hunt admitted to drinking alcohol before he was arrested and taken to Kogarah Police Station where a subsequent breath analysis returned a reading of 0.138, the documents said.

He was charged with mid-range drink driving, intimidation and 10 counts of not giving particulars to another driver.

In court, Hunt who represented himself, said at the time of the collision he was a third-year carpentry apprentice but since having his licence suspended he had been doing lawn mowing services for money.

He said he wanted to repay his neighbours for the damage he inflicted but that was difficult without his wage from his apprenticeship. Although he noted he “fully intended to pay” the cost of the repairs.

Hunt said he relied on his licence to get to job sites.

Hunt told Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson the collisions had made him face up to his alcohol addiction and he was now sober and attending counselling.

He said he realised he could have hurt people and was remorseful for his actions that night.

Magistrate Atkinson said Hunt’s letter to the court showed he had learnt from what had happened and noted it was a “very serious example” of drink driving.

She said it was good Hunt had “woken up” to himself and his alcohol addiction.

Magistrate Atkinson said she would take into account Hunt’s financial difficulties but noted he did not have a perfect driving record.

“This was terrible … you may be paying the damage for years,” she said.

Magistrate Atkinson urged Hunt to think about each of the victims who had their cars off the road getting repaired, and would not be compensated for their loss of time.

“There are victims in this,” she said. “All of us are put at risk when people like you drive the way you did.”

Magistrate Atkinson sentenced Hunt to a 12-month community correction order where he must be supervised by Community Corrections and complete the traffic offenders program.

Hunt was disqualified from driving for four months, backdated to the day of the offence.

Following the suspension period, Hunt will need to have an interlock device fitted to his car for 12 months.