Sean Young pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to high range drink driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

A drunk Roma man who crashed into a residential property after doing burnouts has told a court he was performing a welfare check on a mate.

A 37-year-old Roma man who drunkenly performed burnouts and skids across a quiet 50km/h residential street has fronted court after he crashed.

Sean Young pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to high range drink driving and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.

Police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said on July 15 at 4.25pm police received reports of a single vehicle traffic crash on Charles St, Roma.

“Police attended the address and a red Holden utility rested on the front lawn of the address, (with) extensive damage to the front of the vehicle,” Mr Donnelly said.

“The vehicle had impacted and destroyed the front wire fence and post and trees.

“Police sighted skid marks on the front lawn of the address.

“The vehicle crashed through the fence and continued travelling towards the house until coming to a complete stop.

“Police also sighted skid marks at the intersection of Charles St, where the vehicle started its journey (into the fence).

“The skid marks are consistent with the vehicle conducting a stand still on the spot burnout with skid marks beside it on the road in an ‘S’ shape indicating the vehicle was driven in an unsafe manner prior to the incident.”

The court was told that police spoke with a number of witnesses, with the resident of the property confirming they heard the vehicle performing a burnout.

“Witnesses looked out the front window to see the vehicle reversing back towards the front fence from inside the yard,” Mr Donnelly said.

“This was an attempt to reverse out of the yard and back onto the street, but the vehicle got stuck on the fence.”

The section of road on Charles St, Roma where a drink driver skidded and crashed into a property fence. Picture: Google Maps.

When police spoke with Young at the scene, they noted he smelled of alcohol and had “red and bloodshot” eyes.

The court was told Young told police he had been consuming alcohol throughout the day, stating “I’m over the limit, I already know”.

He told police he consumed 17 cans of XXXX Gold since 11am that morning and had his last drink just minutes prior to the traffic crash.

Tests revealed Young had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.162.

Young initially told police the vehicle became stuck as he was changing gears, so he revved and said it was the vehicle that lost control.

Mr Donnelly said it typical for people to blame a “clutch or vehicle malfunction” when giving an explanation to police.

The court was told Young was no longer maintaining his explanation.

Defence lawyer Leslee Reed said her client was “ashamed and embarrassed” about his actions and has been cooperative with police.

“He said he did actually get out of the vehicle and notified the occupant of the house and asked for her to ring the police,” Ms Reed said.

“A couple of days beforehand a very good friend of his had told him he was going to kill himself and then his friend did disappear.

“So he was very concerned about his friend and as a result of that my client’s erratic behaviour.

“His house was only around the corner and he doesn’t understand why he didn’t walk, and he did a couple of burnouts and crashed the motor vehicle.”

Magistrate Shane Elliott said it was concerning Young had been before the court three times before for alcohol related offending.

“This offence is particularly serious,” Mr Elliott said.

“You’ve engaged in conduct that’s common amongst 18-year-olds. I certainly haven’t had too many 37-year-olds before me doing burnouts.

“While undertaking these very dangerous manoeuvres, you’ve lost control and crossed onto the wrong side of the road and into someone’s fence in a suburban area in the day and ended up on their property near their house.

“Thankfully there wasn’t a young child or family out the front, you would have killed them.”

Young was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Sean Young pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to high range drink driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle