Drunk hotelier flees Sorrento crash scene

Julian Gerner, who launched a legal challenge to Victoria’s lockdown, was allegedly four times over the limit.

Julian Gerner was allegedly four times over the limit when he fled the scene of a Sorrento crash. Picture: Jason Sammon

A prominent hospitality figure who launched a High Court challenge to Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown is accused of fleeing the scene of a drunken crash in Sorrento.

Julian Gerner, 47, was allegedly intoxicated when he lost control of his Range Rover at a roundabout at the intersection of Hotham and Melbourne roads about 11pm on December 13.

Police allege he crashed his car before fleeing the scene.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers located him at a Sorrento home, where he underwent a preliminary breath test.

He was later taken to a police station where he allegedly tested close to four times the legal blood alcohol limit.

“The man accompanied officers to a nearby police station where he returned an alleged evidently breath test reading of 0.179,” the spokeswoman said.

Mr Gerner, who owns Morgan’s restaurant and bar in Sorrento, is expected to be charged on summons with traffic and drink driving offences.

His license was also immediately suspended.

When contacted for comment by the Herald Sun, Mr Gerner said: “I’ve got nothing to say, thank you.”

In October, Mr Gerner launched a challenge against the Andrews government’s COVID-19 lockdown, claiming the restrictions breached an implied constitutional right to freedom of movement.

However, the challenge was later thrown out by the High Court, which accepted the state government position that there was no foothold in the constitution for such an implied right.

Mr Gerner, former director of the Melbourne Pub Group, at the time described Victoria as a “police state” and launched the “unlock hospitality movement” with other leading industry figures.

The proposal was described as the “gold standard” COVID-safe reopening plan and was submitted to Premier Andrews’ Victorian COVID Advisory Group in a bid to fast-track the revival of the hospitality sector.

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