MAN BLAMES DICKY TICKER FOR BENDER
Man caught four times over says fear of surgery sparked excessive drinking
A 21-YEAR-OLD who spent the night in hospital after crashing his car while four times over the legal alcohol limit was out drowning his sorrows ahead of what would be life-changing open heart surgery.
Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard that Maxwell Gary Orbell was apologetic to officers when he sobered up in the emergency department, claiming he had been drinking at the Meringandan Hotel because he knew he had serious medical issues that needed addressing through a serious procedure.
Orbell’s lawyer Michael Bonasia told the court that he had since undergone open heart surgery and now had a titanium plate in his chest.
He, and another male passenger, were transported to Toowoomba Hospital after the car rolled into an embankment on Meringandan Rd on April 6.
He had a blood alcohol level of 0.217 per cent at the time.
Fronting court yesterday, Orbell pleaded guilty to driving over the middle alcohol limit, and was warned not to drink like he used to any more by a city magistrate.
“This was an extremely high reading,” Magistrate Kay Ryan said.
“You and your friend are lucky to have survived this crash.”
Orbell was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 12 months, but the convictions were not recorded.
“I am hopeful this is a wakeup call to you because you cannot carry on like you used to,” Magistrate Ryan said.