William Oliver Te’o blew more than three times breath/alcohol limit after crashing boss’s vehicle, Toowoomba court told

A 19-year-old drink-driver lost control of the car on a Newtown street and crashed, and to make matters worse it wasn’t even his car. Here’s what happened in court.

William Oliver Te'o leaves Toowoomba Courthouse on February 14, 2023.

A Toowoomba teenager who crashed his boss’s vehicle on a city street while driving more than three times the limit has paid a hefty price.

William Oliver Te’o lost control of the gold Holden Commodore he was driving on Wombyra St, Newtown, about 5pm, December 23, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday.

Although he later told police he had been doing a U-turn when he hit the kerb and his tyres blew out, a witness said the 19-year-old had been speeding and failed to take the corner with the car spinning out of control and hitting the kerb, police prosecutor Kinsley Weir told the court.

William Oliver Te'o pleaded guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on February 14, 2023, to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by alcohol.

The teenager was on a learner’s permit at the time yet did not have a qualified driver with him and a breath test returned a breath/alcohol reading of 0.168, Senior Constable Weir said.

Te’o pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected and to driving unaccompanied on a learner’s permit.

His solicitor Claire Graham, of Skuse Graham Lawyers, told the court the teenager was an apprentice floor layer and that he had been driving a work vehicle at the time.

Te’o had to pay for the damage to the car and had so far paid off $5000 and was working seven days a week to try and make up the rest, she said.

The 19-year-old at the time had been living with mates who tended to binge drink but he had since moved in with other people, was attending counselling sessions with Lives Lived Well and was completing the Queensland Traffic Offenders Program, Ms Graham said.

Noting he had been without his driver’s licence since the event, magistrate Kay Phillipson fined Te’o $1000 and disqualified him from driving for six months with no conviction recorded.