Raul Luque Quinones in high range DUI on West Tamar Hwy

A Tasmanian Uber driver drank wine at a friend’s house and crashed on the couch, but inexplicably woke to get behind the wheel, only to pass out again.

A drink-driving Tasmanian Uber driver was discovered passed out behind the wheel on a highway in the early hours of the morning after drinking wine at a friend’s, a court has heard.

Lanena man Raul Alejandro Luque Quinones, 44, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Wednesday to a charge of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

The offence was reported by a member of the public at 3.40am on June 26 after they discovered Luque’s blue Ford Focus inexplicably stopped in the left-hand land lane of the West Tamar Hwy at Rosevears.

Police arrived at the scene to discovered Luque slumped over the wheel asleep, with the ignition still on and no handbrake applied.

Luque “seemed confused” when he was roused by officers and subsequently returned a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.184 per cent.

Defence solicitor Grant Tucker told the court his client, a Columbian national who served in that country’s armed forces prior to emigrating to Australia seven years ago, had no relevant history, in Colombia or Tasmania.

He said his client, an Uber driver who also had a background in logistics – he was not on-shift when the offence occurred – had lost his employment as a result of the offending, which has prevented him from driving.

Mr Tucker said Luque rarely drank and had consumed wine at a friend’s house on the night in question.

Luque fell asleep on his friend’s couch, but inexplicably woke in the early hours of the morning to drive himself home.

“He doesn’t understand why he did that,” Mr Tucker said.

Luque was disqualified from driving for 12 months backdated to June 26, fined $865 and ordered to pay costs and levies of $111.40.