CRASH DRIVER NEARLY SIX TIMES LEGAL LIMIT
A GROSSLY drunk North Queensland man who crashed his Landcruiser into a drain told emergency responders that he was simply “parking”.
Unemployed truck driver Peter Norman Mooney, 58, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to driving under the influence of alcohol on March 25.
Police prosecutor Jordan Theed tendered the court a document highlighting that the Abergowrie man had a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.285 per cent, a figure approaching six times the legal driving limit. He said Ingham Police were called to a traffic crash at Abergowrie, west of Ingham, at 4pm.
“Details received were that a Landcruiser had crashed into a drain (and that) the driver appeared intoxicated.”
Mr Theed said the triple-0 caller was so concerned about Mooney’s state that they had been forced to take possession of the car keys.
He said that when police arrived they could see extensive damage to the front of the vehicle and noted that Mooney reeked of alcohol, and was unsteady on his feet and drowsy.
“There was a carton of beer in the front footwell and an empty can of beer in the passenger’s seat,” Mr Theed said.
“He told police he parked the vehicle where it was due to being flagged down by the informant, however that was inconsistent with the damage and the location of the vehicle.”
Mr Theed said the defendant claimed that he had only had four beers at the Trebonne Hotel between Ingham and Abergowrie.
“Obviously, that is inconsistent with the reading,” he said.
He said Mooney had two prior drink-driving convictions but they were both from 2009.
Defence lawyer Abbey Huckstep said her client, a divorced father of a young woman, was illiterate as he spent a significant portion of his life in hospital as a young child and his education suffered.
She said Mooney had spent 25 years driving road trains but had been forced to stop recently due to health issues.
“He has been talking to his GP about a potential dementia diagnosis, however he has not been diagnosed with anything of that nature at this stage.”
Ms Huckstep said her client lived an isolated life without family in the small rural town, lacked purpose in life and drank to self-medicate to battle emotional issues.
“He makes no excuses for the state in which he drove on this occasion. Of course it was a very bad decision on his behalf to get behind the wheel after having consumed so much alcohol,” she said.
“He knows he’s put his own life in danger by doing so and the lives of other road users, and he’s extremely remorseful for what he’s done.”
Magistrate Steven Mosch said the incident was a serious example of drunk-driving.
He said it was fortuitous that the defendant had not been injured or killed and was shocked at the BAC recording.
Mooney was convicted, fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for 18 months.