Vikas Gollen: Phillip Island chef pleads guilty to drink-driving

A Phillip Island chef had “one foot in jail” after he crashed into a tree and blew three times the legal limit because his partner was unwell.

A Phillip Island chef who crashed into a tree and blew three times the legal limit has escaped jail time for his “stupid decision”.

Vikas Gollen, 24, pleaded guilty at Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on October 6 to one charge of drink-driving.

The court heard Gollen crashed into a tree on Phillip Island Rd in Newhaven about 1.10am on February 1, 2021.

He waited about 25 minutes for police to arrive where he recorded a 0.115 breath test.

In a police interview, Gollen said he had two pints of beer after he finished work.

He said when he was driving he thought he was over the legal limit but needed to see his girlfriend because she was sick.

Gollen’s lawyer Vinod Nath said the car was a complete ride-off.

“He said it was a stupid thing to do at the time and now he realises he was wrong,” Mr Nath said.

“He is remorseful and he knows he wants to do education to never get into this trouble again.”

Mr Nath said the man was employed as a chef at HQ Restaurant in Phillip Island and worked night shifts at Woolworths.

Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said the man had “one foot in jail”.

“He is lucky he isn’t dead as a result of the accident, someone else isn’t dead or seriously injured and he isn’t in the County Court facing culpable driving charges,” Mr Bailin said.

Mr Bailin said Gollen made a “stupid decision” that put the community at risk.

“This is an offence which ordinarily at this range is so close to jail,” he said.

Gollen was given a good behaviour bond for a period of two years and was fined $2500.

No conviction was recorded.

Follow The Bass Coast News on Facebook to keep up to date with other local stories.

[e-mail]