A DISQUALIFIED driver has recorded the highest alcohol reading seen by police in the Bright region, with the man blowing more than seven times the limit.
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Police received Triple-0 calls to attend the Great Alpine Road at Porepunkah about 4.20pm on Sunday.
When they arrived, they found a heavily intoxicated 34-year-old behind the wheel.
The Richmond man had driven about 500 metres along the road following an argument with his partner.
He returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.364.
Senior Constable Sam McIntosh said the road was busy this time of year with people travelling to and from the snow.
“It’s the highest reading any of us have seen here,” he said.
“It could have been very, very bad, driving with a reading that high.”
The Richmond man, whose licence was already disqualified, was travelling back to Melbourne from Mt Hotham.
“At that reading, you’d be lucky to be able to see where you’re going,” Senior Constable McIntosh said.
“He didn’t get far – he’d only driven about 500 metres, which was lucky.”
The driver must face court on summons.
Meanwhile a man has faced court in Wodonga after a drink-driving crash late last year.
Luke Sharp, 30, had been drinking at the Blazing Stump on November 5 and despite having a zero blood alcohol limit as a condition of his licence, he sped through town.
He slammed into another vehicle on Brockley Street, which caused both cars to spin into a retaining wall near Trudewind Road.
Sharp got out of his Holden Commodore and ran up to the other car, saying “oh s---, oh s---, I’m sorry”.
His lawyer told the Wodonga Magistrates Court that showed his remorse, but magistrate John Murphy said Sharp had been lucky.
“Better than going up to the car and saying oh s---, oh s---, I’ve killed someone, which is what could have happened,” he said.
Mr Murphy said to his credit, Sharp had admitted what he had done and the fact he was speeding.
“You didn’t try to dodge your way out of it, but it is a serious matter,” he said.
A witness had estimated his speed at about 80km/h on the 50km/h street, and said it sounded like his car had been accelerating.
The impact caused extensive damage to the victim’s car.
Mr Murphy fined the 30-year-old $3000 and cancelled his licence for two years.
Sharp has two pages of driving priors and a five-page criminal history.
“You wouldn’t want to get picked up for any driving driving in the future,” Mr Murphy said.
“You’ll go in.”
