Robert John Burrell sentenced for Buderim drink driving smash

A young learner driver has been left traumatised after the car she was travelling in collided head-on with a drunk driver, who has now faced court for the shocking crash.

A 61-year-old man has narrowly avoided jail time after a horrific drink driving smash at Buderim in August which left two young people traumatised.

Robert John Burrell pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on December 20 to one charge of dangerous operation while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance and one charge of driving under the influence.

Police prosecutor Lee Allen said Burrell was driving along King St at Buderim on August 9, 2022, when he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided head-on at speed with an oncoming car carrying a 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman.

“The defendant has then spun 360 degrees onto the footpath. The other vehicle … has collided with a fence as a result of the impact with the defendant’s vehicle,” he said.

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

Burrell was breath tested at the scene and blew 0.195, almost four times the legal limit.

Both the 21-year-old and 20-year-old travelling in the other car were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Robert John Burrell leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

In a victim impact statement written by the 20-year-old, who was a passenger in the other car, she said she was a learner driver at the time and was so traumatised by the accident she was unable to get behind the wheel again.

She had since begun seeing a doctor and a psychologist.

Defence lawyer Tate Ransom said his client was “deeply remorseful and ashamed” of his actions and immediately apologised to the people travelling in the other car after the crash.

Mr Ransom said Burrell immediately told police he was a struggling alcoholic, and later paid $7000 in compensation to the victims on his own accord.

He said his client had been an alcoholic since he was 33, and his addiction spiralled after he divorced his partner, and then spiralled further after a different break up in 2021.

Mr Ransom said his client suffered from severe loneliness.

King St crash, Buderim. Photo: Contributed

Burrell had remained sober for “many weeks” since the crash and was regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as the Buderim Men’s Shed and Suncoast Church.

He had also taken up bike riding and vowed to “never own a car again”, Mr Ransom said.

Burrell was treating his addiction by taking a prescription drug which forces the body to reject the alcohol.

Magistrate Graham Hillan said it “was a wonder more serious injuries were not incurred”.

Burrell was sentenced to 15 months behind bars, suspended for two years and disqualified from driving for three years.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Robert John Burrell sentenced for Buderim drink driving smash