Thomas Dickinson pleads guilty to drunken Ford Fiesta rollover at Beerwah

A labourer has said he feels “very lucky” to be alive after a harrowing crash where he rolled his car multiple times in a Sunshine Coast paddock while almost four times the limit.

Thomas Andrew Dickinson leaving Caloundra Magistrates Court on Thursday. Picture: Sam Turner

A labourer has escaped a devastating crash in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after he rolled his small hatchback into a paddock while nearly four times the limit.

Thomas Andrew Dickinson, 21, escaped with only minor injuries but totalled his car following the serious rollover along Roys Rd at Beerwah on July 11.

Police prosecutor Stu Lydford said on Thursday emergency crews were called to the single vehicle crash about 9.30pm where Dickinson’s Ford Fiesta was found “completely destroyed” in a paddock.

Caloundra Magistrates Court heard the Glass House Mountains man was driving west to Beerwah when the vehicle veered into a ditch and flipped over a number of times before it came into a rest in a field.

Dickinson leaving court on Thursday.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene where Dickinson had already left the vehicle, with numerous empty liquor cans found around the vehicle.

Sergeant Lydford said the 21-year-old was reasonably uninjured and told officers he couldn’t remember the crash.

The court heard Dickinson later returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.197 per cent.

Investigations revealed there were no obvious signs of Dickinson used any emergency braking, with checks revealing he had no licence at the time.

Dickinson represented himself in court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor, driving without due care and driving without a licence.

He told the court he had recently moved in with family on the Sunshine Coast from Victoria to try and “get away from the trouble”.

The Glass House Mountains man told magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist he had a previous drink driving offence from Victoria when he was 18-years-old.

Dickinson was fined $900 and was disqualified from driving for nine months.

“On one view you’re probably lucky to be here talking about it,” Mr Stjernqvist.

“I feel very lucky your honour,” Dickinson replied.

Originally published as Thomas Dickinson pleads guilty to drunken Ford Fiesta rollover at Beerwah