Mitchell Morel: Drouin dreadlocked driver’s epic ecstasy, booze fail
A funky-haired high-on-MDMA drunk Drouin chippy hammered straight into a tree on the way to a scenic lookout – at midnight.
South East
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A dreadlocked drunk and drugged-up driver who crashed his ute into a tree while trying to avoid a roo could be facing time behind bars.
Mitchell Leonard Morel had to be cut out of his vehicle by firefighters after he was trapped by his legs, and spent three days in hospital following the boozed-up, ecstasy-related smash.
And when cops searched the car they then found a stash of cannabis in the glove box.
The 25-year-old Drouin carpenter had to endure four months off work to recover from hand, leg and bleeding on the brain injuries.
Morel pleaded guilty to drink-driving, drug possession and driving while disqualified charges at the online Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The court heard around 11.30pm on July 25 last year Morel was driving his Toyota HiLux near Nar Nar Goon when he went off the road and hit a tree.
He was still trapped in his extensively damaged vehicle when police, ambulance paramedics and firefighters arrived on the scene 25 minutes later.
He was cut out of the ute and taken to hospital, where his blood sample recorded a positive for MDMA and he registered an alcohol level of .108.
The chippy had only bought the $25,000 HiLux 10 days before the crash, and has now lost it because insurance won’t pay out for drink-driver accidents.
He shouldn’t have purchased the vehicle anyway as he had been banned by VicRoads for not completing a drug course imposed for a previous driving while high crime.
His defence lawyer said Morel had been boozing with friends when he decided to get some air and drive to a nearby lookout.
He said he now realised that was a stupid decision, and knows there could have been far worse consequences for himself or the wider community.
He said Morel was contrite, had not use drugs since and only occasionally drank alcohol now.
He said the financial cost of losing his ute and the mandatory minimum licence ban of 32 months meant a fine would be an appropriate penalty.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg disagreed, saying Morel could be given a jail term.
“He shouldn’t have been driving, why did he even buy the vehicle if he was banned?” Mr Rozencwajg said.
“There are aggravating features here, this is a serious example of this type of offending.”
Morel will be sentenced at a later date.
