Four times over drunk driver who smashed into car at 160km/h jailed
An angry alcoholic argued with his partner then sped off at nearly 200km/h while four times over the limit before smashing into an innocent motorist in Dandenong South. He was lucky to escape the crash, but wasn’t so fortunate in court.
South East
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An angry alcoholic who drove while drunk at nearly 200km/h before smashing into an innocent motorist has been jailed.
Sumit Lakshman pleaded guilty to reckless driving, drink driving, careless driving and dangerous speed charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.
The court heard Lakshman had been arguing with his partner on July 16 last year before getting behind the wheel while well over four times over the legal limit.
He drove off, reached reckless speeds of 194km/h along Frankston-Dandenong Rd in Dandenong South — which has a speed limit of 80km/h — before he hit the other car at an estimated speed of 164km/h.
Lakshman’s vehicle rolled five times, and somehow he walked away without major injury.
A sample of his blood recorded an alcohol reading of .226.
Lakshman also admitted he didn’t have an interlock device fitted to his car, which had been imposed by a court for a previous drink-driving crime.
The other driver was also not seriously hurt.
His defence lawyer conceded the 29-year-old powder coat worker had a serious alcohol problem.
She said Lakshman had completed a detox program and had made changes to his lifestyle after the crash and was willing to do road safety programs.
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Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said the late-night collision was a very serious example of reckless conduct, telling Lakshman he was fortunate to not be facing a culpable driving charge in the County Court.
“It was very lucky you and the other (car’s) occupant didn’t suffer serious injury,” Mr Vandersteen said.
“There can be catastrophic outcomes when (you are) over .15 (and) you avoided it by a fluke; it was a sheer fluke you and the other occupant were able to walk away.”
Lakshman was jailed for three months and ordered to do a two-year community corrections order, with alcohol counselling, upon release.
He was also disqualified from driving for five years.