A Culcairn teenager who has never held a driver's licence accelerated harshly in a high-powered car on the way to Lake Hume before crashing.
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Braidy Towns had three passengers at the time, but all managed to escape without injury.
Albury Local Court has been told that Towns started to feel unwell after being breathalysed - he gave a negative result - but a trip to Albury hospital ultimately revealed there was nothing wrong.
Towns claimed the brakes on his Subaru WRX had failed moments before he lost control and crashed into a guard rail on March 20 about 3.30am, the impact causing the car to ricochet back on to the road.
Police told magistrate Melissa Humphreys that the crash was caused by excessive speed.
Towns, 18, of Railway Parade, pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and unlicensed driving.
Defence lawyer Sascha McCorriston submitted to Ms Humphreys she had to concede "that it's a very serious set of circumstances".
"He is very, very remorseful for what happened on that day," she said of her client.
Ms McCorriston repeated Towns' claim made to police that the brakes on his car had failed, "although there is no evidence of that".
Ms Humphreys highlighted the dangerous nature of what Towns did.
"It is very fortunate there were no injuries sustained as a result of the actions of negligent driving by Mr Towns," she said.
The court was told Towns was driving his black WRX on the Riverina Highway heading for the Bethanga Bridge when he took on a 200-metre stretch of the road at up to 100kmh.
It was an 80kmh signposted zone.
Towns then tried to take a left-hand bend at speed, but in doing so crossed to the incorrect side of the road and struck a guard rail.
"The vehicle," police said, "was launched back onto the initial lane it was travelling in, however, the front of the vehicle faced back towards Murray Street in Lake Hume Village."
The four occupants got out, then police arrived soon after. It was estimated that Towns was travelling at between 100kmh and 105kmh when he crashed.
After he was taken by ambulance to Albury hospital, police conducted checks that revealed Towns had never held a driver's licence anywhere in Australia.
They went to his Culcairn home on April 4 to talk to him about the crash.
Towns claimed he was driving at 100kmh but had dropped his speed to about 80kmh at the time he lost control of the car.
"The accused told police that as he went to turn around the bend, his brakes stopped working and the vehicle slid."
Towns was convicted and fined $2000, was placed on a six-month community corrections order and must complete the traffic offenders' program.
He was disqualified from holding a licence for 12 months.
