Nicholas Zidar: Drunk Darwin soldier crashes ute at cop shop

A blitzed Darwin soldier crashed his ute outside a cop shop after a boozy Anzac Day event.

A JUDGE has slammed a culture of drinking and pranks in the army after a blitzed soldier crashed his car outside a police station on Anzac Day.

Nicholas Ivan Douglas Zidar, 21, appeared in Darwin Local Court on Friday following a drunken daylight crash on April 25.

Barrister Clancy Dane told the court the 21-year-old went to the dawn service that morning with no intention of drink driving.

“(But) a bar was set up after the dawn service,” Mr Dane said.

“He had two, thinking he would be all right to drive – then he had a couple more.”

When police found the young soldier’s white ute crashed on the median strip outside their station on Temple Terrace, Zidar was three times the legal limit. He recorded a 0.157 breath alcohol concentration.

Police said they received multiple dangerous driving reports in the lead up to Zidar’s crash, , which was caused when his back tyre blew out.

Mr Dane said the 21-year-old drove home because he did not want to leave his car behind following some “tomfoolery” at the Robertson Barracks.

“Cars had been vandalised, licence plates removed,” he said.

ADF Soldier Nicholas Ivan Douglas Zidar in Darwin Magistrates court on charges of high range drink driving Picture: Glenn Campbell

“The rumours were that US Marines (were behind it). Some of them were drinking at the barracks that morning and he simply wanted to get his car home.”

On Friday Zidar pleaded guilty to high range drink driving before Judge Therese Austin.

Ms Austin said hijinks between the defence forces were no excuse for serious breaches of the law.

“The culture of drinking in the Australian Army — and other institutionalised places, like police forces and security organisations — It’s just not OK, ” Ms Austin said.

“Who cares if someone swaps your number plate over. Those sort of shenanigans are not funny.”

“All I see is that stuff causes this sort of rubbish. And young men … end up with the consequence.

“I can laugh about a lot of things, but not if somebody is getting hurt, if someone’s property is being damaged, or if somebody does something stupid – they’re not jokes. “

Ms Austin said the Northern Territory was “riddled” with fatal crashes, and Zidar’s actions could have placed him and other road users at a real risk of death.

Ms Austin was told a conviction could result in the young soldier being fired. Mr Dane said even if it was not recorded, “The consequences of that decision will follow him for years to come”.

“Any time he goes for promotion, any time he goes for specialist training, he will have to justify himself.,” he said.

Zidar was sentenced without conviction, lost his licence for 12 months and was fined $800, with $150 victims levy.