Drunk driver blows .238 after crashing car into garage, starting fire in Noble Park
A MAN was so drunk he crashed his car into his own garage, causing his car to burst into flames and nearly burn his house down in Noble Park.
South East
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A FIVE-TIMES-OVER driver was so drunk he crashed into his own garage, causing his car to burst into flames and nearly burn his house down.
It was only thanks to a quick-thinking neighbour that the Noble Park man managed to get out alive.
David Robson pleaded guilty to a serious drink-driving charge at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
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The court heard police attended the alcohol-fuelled accident at Robson’s Noble Park home on March 22 this year.
He had smashed into the back of his garage, with his foot firmly planted on the accelerator pedal.
This created a wall of smoke and burnt out the tyres, starting a blaze which engulfed the car and caused flames to destroy part of the garage and lick at the side of the house.
Luckily a neighbour heard the big bang, helped get Robson out and called the CFA, who quickly attended and extinguished the fire.
When police came to investigate he told them he was not driving at the time and had no idea how the car had caught fire.
He was taken to Dandenong Police Station, where he blew a staggering .238.
His licence was suspended on the spot.
Robson has a poor past when it comes to drink-driving, having similar priors for offending in 1998, 2010 and 2011.
In court his defence lawyer said Robson felt genuinely remorseful and the accident had been a massive wake-up call for him.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell said as this was his fourth similar offence — and his third within 10 years — jail was a very real likelihood.
“The consequences could have been fatalistic without the intervention of the neighbour,” Ms O’Donnell said.
“In the past you have been relicensed, gone through drink-drive programs, yet here you are again, with a reading of .238.
“The consequences (of drink-driving) to the community are horrific, frankly.”
Robson will be sentenced on August 8.
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