A 21-year-old Ulladulla man who allegedly had a few beers before borrowing his grandmother’s car to drive into town to meet friends only to crash, recorded a high-range drink driving reading.
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Court papers said Wezley James Lowes borrowed the car on May 20 this year without his grandmother’s knowledge.
Between 7.30pm and 8.30pm he drove into Ulladulla. At the time he was only the holder of a Victorian learner's permit.
Court papers said he was unaccompanied and as the vehicle entered the Princes Highway near the Ulladulla Ex-Servicemen's Club was almost involved in an accident with another motorist.
Witnesses told police the car was swerving from side to side in the traffic lane and hit a concrete centre strip before continuing down the road.
At the Parson Street roundabout Lowes narrowly missed some pedestrians before hitting a tree in the Target car park.
The vehicle continued into the Target car park and struck a metal pole.
Court papers said witnesses managed to secure the vehicle and Lowes before police arrived.
A breath analysis later returned breath reading more than three times the limit, 0.175.
Lowes allegedly told police he had been “drinking beers” and had “taken his nan’s keys to meet some friends”.
Police said he was clearly intoxicated, smelt strongly of alcohol, was sluggish, clumsy and was repeating himself.
Although convicted in Nowra Local Court on Monday, Lowes escaped a jail term, with Magistrate Gabriel Fleming imposing a 12-month suspended sentence.
She disqualified him from driving for eight months, fined him $1500 and order he take part in the interlock program for 24 months.
