Drunk driver who fell asleep at Hampton Park McDonald’s gets served long ban
Do you want a ban with that? A drunk driver who fell asleep while waiting for his post-grog snack at a Hampton Park fast-food outlet has paid a heavy price for his hunger — and it’s not the first time he’s been caught out in the search for food.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man caught asleep at the wheel of a Maccas drive-through with the car’s engine running has blown almost three times the legal blood alcohol limit.
Peter Vitos pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court heard police became aware the fast-food loving Hampton Park man was slumped behind the wheel in the waiting bay of his suburb’s McDonald’s restaurant about 1am on January 27.
They went to check on the driver’s welfare, knocking on his window to wake the man up.
They discovered Vitos, who smelt of alcohol, had already ordered his food and was waiting for it to be delivered when he fell asleep.
He was taken to the Dandenong police station where he registered .128, and lost his licence on the spot.
Vitos said he had been drinking with his mates on the Australia Day evening, gone home and then felt hungry, so went back out for a post-grog snack.
Vitos represented himself in court, saying he had made a “stupid mistake”.
He said he hadn’t drunk alcohol since the incident and didn’t have a car.
“It was a one-off, I had had a hard day’s work, and was hungry,” Vitos said.
But the court heard Vitos was also caught drink-driving on Phillip Island in 2010 while out searching for a pizza.
LOVE RAT LOTHARIO BACK IN COURT
FILMING SPITTER SPAT ENDS UP IN COURT
JAIL FOR DRUNK DRIVER’S 160KMH CRASH
Magistrate Sharon McRae said Vitos had shown “pretty disturbing behaviour”.
She said his previous drink-drive offence was within the 10-year period, so his time off the road must be doubled.
“You were asleep behind the wheel; you had had too much alcohol to make a rational decision (to drive),” Ms McRae said.
Vitos was disqualified from driving for 24 months, backdated to January, and was convicted and fined $700.