A WELL-KNOWN Wodonga funeral director has lost his licence for a year after being found slumped in his vehicle after drug driving.
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Other road users held fears for Lindsay Radcliffe’s driving on July 7, 2016.
It was unclear if the 44-year-old was driving a hearse at the time, with the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Tuesday hearing he was behind the wheel of a black Holden station wagon.
His business, Radcliffe Funeral Services, uses black Holden hearses.
Radcliffe had mounted a kerb in Wodonga and had failed to slow for a roundabout.
When police spoke to him about 12.25pm, he was slumped in his seat, unable to perform basic tasks.
Police formed the opinion he was under the influence of something other than alcohol.
Radcliffe was taken back to the Wodonga police station for a drug impairment assessment.
A breath test at the station was negative.
He was then transported to Wodonga hospital and gave three blood samples at 2.35pm, which were sent to Melbourne for analysis.
Multiple prescription drugs, including diazepam and other benzodiazepines, were later detected.
Radcliffe was interviewed and told police he was prescribed several drugs by his doctor, including Valium and Seroquel.
His licence was suspended on January 3.
Defence lawyer David Avery told the court his client had been out to two late callouts before the incident, having instructed people to call him at any time.
He is on diagnosed medication for his depression and anxiety and the court heard he had exceeded his dosage.
“He has some significant mental health difficulties over the course of his lifetime,” Mr Avery said.
It was something he had wrestled with and “not always won”, Mr Avery said, and added that Radcliffe was also trying to manage his medications.
Magistrate Stella Stuthridge noted that apart from this incident, he had been an otherwise good driver.
“You know as much as anyone else the consequences of drug driving and drink driving,” she told him.
Radcliffe was banned from driving for a year, backdated to January.
The magistrate also also fined him $2000.
