Drugged up crash driver had meth in his madness

THE drugged up driver was so affected he was still asleep at the wheel when police arrived at the crash scene west of Toowoomba.

The drugged up driver crashed his car into a bollard outside the Charlton service station. Picture: Contributed

A DRUGGED up driver was so affected by meth he had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed his car outside a Charlton service station.

After crashing his car into a bollard outside the fuel outlet about 6.30am, November 17, Kenneth Lionel Schmidt had snoozed on while a service station attendant reached in and took his keys before calling police, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

When police arrived a short time later, Schmidt was still asleep in the driver's seat and officers had to wake him by tapping on the window, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court.

A drowsy Schmidt told police he had driven nine hours from Melbourne and had snorted methylamphetamine about 2am that day.

Police found a glass pipe for smoking drugs and a set of scales for weighing it in the 35-year-old's car, Sgt Bugden said.

Due to his indicia, police charged Schmidt with driving while under the influence of liquor or a drug.

His licence suspended immediately, Schmidt was caught driving in Toowoomba on November 29, telling police he thought the suspension was only for 24 hours.

He was again nabbed by police driving on Tor St about 9.30am, December 1, when he had also been found with a small amount of ice in his car.

He was again caught driving on Bridge St on May 12.

Schmidt pleaded guilty to all offences, most of which were committed while he was on probation and parole.

His solicitor Amber Acreman, of David Burns Lawyers, told the court her client had spent a significant amount of his previous sentence in custody but apart from the driving offence in May he had not reoffended since being released from prison in February.

Her client no longer used drugs, had put on weight and was healthier and he was now engaging with his probation officer, she said.

Acting Magistrate Roger Stark sentenced Schmidt to two months in jail followed by 15 months of probation and disqualified him from driving for more than five years.

Originally published as Drugged up crash driver had meth in his madness