A Wyndham man involved in a three-car collision while under the influence of alcohol has been fined and disqualified from driving for six months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Annaru Fisher, 31, faced Bega Local Court on Tuesday, May 14, entering a guilty plea to a charge of low-range drink driving.
The prosecution noted it was Fisher's second major offence within five years and that he was on an intensive corrections order at the time of the incident.
Defence solicitor Tony Cullinan said Fisher had been at the Tathra Country Club and chose to drive home to Wyndham after consuming three beers in the space of one hour.
"He observed the vehicle ahead of him slowing down and pulling to the left partway over the fog line and anticipated the vehicle would stop - that didn't occur," Mr Cullinan said.
The court was told a collision with that first car caused a tyre puncture on Fisher's vehicle, which then saw him collide with a second vehicle.
"It was a matter of a small incident evolving into a bigger situation than he would've hoped. It was very fortunate no-one was injured," Mr Cullinan said.
Mr Cullinan argued for some leniency regarding financial punishment, given the likely additional "extra-curial" punishment Fisher would be facing from the other vehicle owners looking for him to cover repair costs.
Magistrate Doug Dick noted that although a second major offence, it was Fisher's first alcohol-related driving one so an Interlock device was not warranted.
However, he convicted Fisher, fined him $1000 and disqualified him from driving for six months. He was ordered to surrender his licence and told his digital licence would get a red banner across it to make it clear he was not to be behind the wheel.
Read more Court and Crime here