P-plate drunk driver who hit a light pole and then drove back to a party forgot his number plate
A drunk driver who smashed into a light pole left the scene and went back to a party - but his ute’s number plate remained at the crash site, making it easy for cops to track him down.
South East
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A partying P-plater was so casual about a drunken crash he caused that he drove straight back to a boozy bash he had just left.
But the driver had forgotten to pick up a number plate that had fallen off his car, and he was soon nabbed, blowing nearly three times the legal limit.
Dylan Abblitt pleaded guilty to drink and careless driving charges, as well as a leaving the scene of an accident, at Frankston Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
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The court heard the 20-year-old Langwarrin mechanic had been out at a mate’s party on August 18 last year.
He drank four or five cans of beer before getting behind the wheel of his Ford ute and driving off.
Just after midnight he took a turn too quickly and lost control of the car, crashing into and knocking over a light police on Cranbourne-Frankston Rd, Langwarrin.
He then drove back to the shindig he was having with his mates.
But a passing motorist had noticed the front number plate on the ground and contacted police.
Abblitt was soon tracked back to the party, where he registered .144.
He admitted he was the driver of the car involved in the crash, saying he had made a “dumb” choice to drive while so drunk. He said he was scared to stay at the scene so went back to the party.
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Representing himself in court he said he had no good explanation for his behaviour that night.
“It is very clear there was a lack of thought going through my mind,” he said.
He said he had booked himself in for a road safety awareness seminar and was apologetic about his mistake.
Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said the driving was “seriously bad”, and it was aggravated by his carelessness, the fact he was a P-plater and should be zero, and that he had left the scene.
But he had no priors, and had shown remorse, he said.
Abblitt was convicted and fined a total of $1300 and placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
He was also disqualified for 18 months, backdated to August, and he must do a road trauma awareness course.
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