Drink-driver drove away from two crashes on same day

A TOOWOOMBA man had crashed into the rear of one car while drink-driving then drove away only to hit another vehicle soon after and drive off again.

A DRINK-driver who twice drove away from crashes on the same day had no memory of it as he had "blacked out".

Lawyer Andrew Wiseman said his client, Jay Malcolm Ebsworth, had no recollection of leaving the pub that day let alone what happened afterwards.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard the driver of a Toyota Hilux had been stopped at traffic lights on the New England Highway outside Highfields about 6.30pm, October 5, when a Colorado ute driven by Jay Malcolm Ebsworth had run into the rear of his vehicle.

The Hilux's driver then watched as the Colorado drove around his car and up onto the footpath and continued on its journey south, police prosecutor Catherine Nielsen said.

A short-time later Ebsworth had pulled in behind another vehicle stopped at a red light on Toowoomba's outskirts and an off-duty police officer and the driver from the first incident had told him to stop there with the officer trying to take his keys from the ignition.

However, Ebsworth had then driven into the rear of that vehicle, knocking off its bumper bar, and driven on through the red light on Ruthven St, Senior Constable Nielsen said.

A little later police found him at his residence and he had returned a breath/alcohol reading of 0.098, she said.

The 30-year-old accountant pleaded guilty to all charges.

Mr Wiseman said his client was "flabbergasted" by his behaviour that day which he couldn't remember but the next day he had contacted the other drivers, apologised and had fixed the damage.

His client has since done a QTOP (Queensland Traffic Offenders Program), he said.

Magistrate Graham Lee fined Ebsworth $2500 with no convictions recorded and disqualified him from driving for eight months.

Originally published as Drink-driver drove away from two crashes on same day