Drunk driver found asleep at Pakenham KFC drive-through gets car impounded, licence ban, fine
A former taxi driver had been drinking for five hours at the pub when he had a hankering for some of Colonel Sanders’ finest in Pakenham. But his decision to wing it by driving there landed him in trouble with police.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A dozy drink-driver who fell asleep in the Pakenham KFC drive-through after knocking back scotch and cokes at the pub next door has been banned and fined.
Gurbinder Dhillon was woken up by staff from the Princes Highway chicken restaurant about 8.30pm on August 9, after irate customers complained a driver was blocking the line.
Police were called when staff noticed Dhillon reeked of alcohol.
When police arrived he admitted he had been drinking, saying he had two scotch and cokes at the pub next door before driving to the adjacent KFC because he was hungry.
A breath test revealed he was more than double the legal alcohol limit and his car impounded and his licence cancelled on the spot.
The Pakenham man pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday.
In court Dhillon’s defence lawyer said he had been having a very stressful time as his marriage had recently broken down and his wife had left the country with their son.
He said he went to his local pub about 3.30pm and after “a couple of drinks” he decided to get in his car and go to the KFC next door to pick up some chicken.
He said the drive-through line was quite busy and he was tired, so had fallen asleep.
He said the farmhand, who works at a chicken farm in Pakenham, hasn’t drunk alcohol since the incident and called on colleagues to get lifts to work.
He said Dhillon, who used to be a taxi driver, was remorseful and his behaviour that night was out of character.
MORE COURT
DRUNK DRIVER ASLEEP AT MACCAS DRIVE-THROUGH
SLEEPY DRUNK'S SURGERY FAREWELL BOOZE BENDER
RAT, DIRT AND GRIME FOUND AT RED ROOSTER
Magistrate Tara Hartnett said although he had no priors and was under a lot of personal stress at the time, he had made a big mistake by driving to the pub.
“You made the decision to drive to the hotel, that’s always fraught,” Ms Hartnett said.
“Things unravelled from there.
“You were more than double the limit on this occasion, but in all other respects you are a hardworking person.”
Dhillon was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 11 months, backdated to August.