Keegan Longstaff pleads guilty to drug driving offences

A Grovedale man was so drug-affected that he fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into oncoming traffic.

Keegan Longstaff

A learner driver was so drug-affected he fell asleep behind the wheel, crashed into oncoming traffic and then fled the scene, a court has heard.

Keegan Longstaff had taken ice and GHB two days before he got behind the wheel of a car in Belmont on May 23 last year.

The Grovedale man only held a learner permit and was not with a supervising driver at the time.

The 35-year-old pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday to careless driving, drug driving, driving without supervision while being an L plater, failing to stop after an accident and possession of methamphetamine.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Georgie Hadzig said Longstaff approached a red light just before 6pm and failed to stop.

Constable Hadzig said Longstaff appeared to be asleep as his car slowly rolled onto the other side of the road and crashed into an oncoming car.

The force of the crash pushed the victim’s car backwards and into another stationary car, the court head.

The impact of the crash startled Longstaff who woke up, mounted the median strip and drove away from the scene.

When police arrived, they spoke to witnesses who gave a description of Longstaff’s car and registration plates.

Officers drove to the Grovedale home the car was registered to where they found the vehicle parked in driveway and Longstaff asleep in the front seat.

Police searched the car and found an equipment belt stolen from Mt Gambier in South Australia.

Longstaff tested positive for methamphetamine and told police he had been in his driveway for 30 minutes and did not believe he was involved in an accident.

He also said he had taken GHB and ice two days earlier.

On March 9 last year, police attended an accident in South Geelong about 3.15pm, following reports of a motorcycle crash.

When officers arrived they found Longstaff unconscious and snoring heavily.

He was then taken to hospital and searched for safety reasons, where staff found a small quantity of methamphetamine.

Magistrate Franz Holzer said Longstaff clearly had a drug issue, and bailed him to attend a Geelong clinic for treatment.

He will return to court for sentencing on January 15, next year.

Originally published as Keegan Longstaff pleads guilty to drug driving offences