'I had 10 beers and two whiskeys but I wasn't driving'

Witnesses called police after the 21-year-old had crashed into a paddock off Old Goombungee Road and then drove away again.

He told police he had 10 heavy beers and two Jack Daniels but denied driving. Picture: Max Fleet

A 21-YEAR-OLD man who crashed his car on the outskirts of Toowoomba while driving to his country town home blew a breath/alcohol reading more than three times the legal limit.

Police had been called by witnesses about 10.10pm, November 12, reporting an agitated driver having pulled off a headlight of his utility which he had just crashed into a paddock off Old Goombungee Road.

By the time police arrived, Zachary John Dioth had driven off but the witnesses had taken down his car's registration and provided a description of the driver, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Police found the 21-year-old about 2km away sitting on the road changing a shredded tyre and noted the vehicle had a missing headlight, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court.

Dioth denied he had been driving the car, telling police two other people had been with him but they had since left.

While admitting to having 10 heavy beers and two Jack Daniels earlier, the 21-year-old maintained he had not driven though police pointed out he resembled the description provided by witnesses, Sgt Bugden said.

Suspecting he was the driver, police breath tested him at 0.158, she said.

The self-represented Dioth pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of liquor.

The resident of Haden told the court he had only driven after a mate had called him for help and he had made the poor decision to drive.

Telling him that driving with such a high alcohol level put other people at risk, Magistrate Howard Osborne fined Dioth $1000 and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for nine months.

Originally published as 'I had 10 beers and two whiskeys but I wasn't driving'