Bryce Scoullar guilty to failing to stop after colliding with another vehicle on the Monash Freeway
A salesman has blamed rising interest rates and lack of insurance for not stopping when he collided with another driver on the Monash Freeway.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Deniliquin salesman says he failed to stop after an accident because he panicked over not having insurance.
Bryce Scoullar, 26, pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on February 20, to failing to keep a safe distance behind a vehicle and failing to stop after an accident.
The court heard the NSW man who previously lived in Melbourne had returned for work, when he rear-ended another car on the Monash Freeway after a sudden change in speed.
The victim pulled over in the emergency lane and signalled for Scoullar to do the same, before he changed lanes and continued driving towards the city.
The incident was witnessed by another driver who gave details of Scoullar’s car and registration plate number to police.
The court heard Scoullar later handed himself into Oakleigh police station, where he was “compliant and cooperative” with investigators.
In an interview, Scoullar admitted to not stopping after the collision, because he “panicked because he didn’t have insurance”.
In court on Tuesday, Magistrate Luisa Bazzani said she was “tired of giving the same speech”.
“I’m formerly a coroner of this court,” she said.
“I’m tired of having dealt with people who die or are injured on the road because of a momentary lapse of judgment.”
Ms Bazzani also said Scoullar’s previous record, where he had been caught speeding three times and driving under the influence, demonstrated why he shouldn’t be on the road.
“I didn’t have insurance on the car, I had a mortgage and had just experienced an interest-rate increase,” Scoullar said.
“It’s no excuse for it and I went straight to the police station.”
Scoullar said he had “learnt from his mistakes” and that he was “embarrassed” by his behaviour.
Ms Bazzani said she was going to give Scoullar a chance, but warned him that “nobody would want him on the road” if he continued his “irresponsible driving.”
Scoullar was put on a 12-month adjourned undertaking without conviction and order required to undertake a road trauma awareness seminar as well as to pay an $800 fine into the court fund.
