A DRINK driver who blew one of the highest blood alcohol readings ever seen in Albury had lost two friends in separate car crashes in the days and weeks before he was caught.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Shane McLeod Rasmussen, 35, dropped his head and appeared distressed after being handed down a 10-month jail term in Albury Local Court.
The Poole Street resident had smashed into his next door neighbour’s fence and hit a tree on April 9.
He was so drunk after the crash he could not communicate or follow even the most simple of police instructions.
Rasmussen had drunk a large amount of spirits and had a blood alcohol reading of 0.359.
Albury Local Court heard he had lost a close friend in a car crash in Queensland five days before the incident.
Another mate had died in a head-on truck crash at Deniliquin a few weeks earlier.
Rasmussen had only recently moved to Albury to have a relationship with his son but his ex-partner had taken the boy back to Queensland soon after, causing further turmoil in his life.
“I had a bad time,” the 35-year-old later told police of the smash.
“I can’t remember anything.”
Despite having a clean record, magistrate Tony Murray said a jail term was needed.
Mr Murray said most people in the community would struggle to reach 0.2 but the 35-year-old had nearly doubled that, which showed he had a serious problem with alcohol.
It was one of the highest readings ever seen in the Albury court.
The man may in fact hold the title for the highest reading on record.
He was too drunk to be breath tested at the scene and gave the reading at Albury hospital after being removed from his car.
Rasmussen had apologised to the property owner after the smash and the woman received a quote to fix the damage.
The Albury man may be able to avoid jail on the 10-month sentence, which has a four month minimum.
He is being considered for home detention.