Police & Court
Driver was alcohol and drug affected and looking at his phone before power pole crash
A magistrate has described the case of a man who crashed into a power pole as “one with the lot”.
“It has drinking, drugs and a mobile phone. It’s what every (road safety) ad is about,” Magistrate David Faram said.
Jarrod William Groves, 29, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to driving in a dangerous manner and drug and drink driving.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund told the court Groves was driving a SsangYong wagon when he collided with a power pole in the middle of McLennan St, Mooroopna, at 1.03am on January 31 last year.
The court heard a witness saw Groves driving south on Echuca Rd, attempting to turn left into McLennan St while driving fast, crossing over two lanes and hitting the power pole on a median strip in the middle of the road and snapping it in half.
He told the witness he was on his phone, had been drinking alcohol and had drugs in his system, Sen Constable Lund said.
When police arrived Groves was “visibly upset” and said he was an “idiot”, Sen Constable Lund said.
The court heard he told them he had consumed a dozen drinks.
A blood test just over an hour after the accident showed Groves had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.089 and had cannabis in his system.
Sen Constable Lund said Groves told police he had been travelling at 80km/h, despite it being a 60km/h zone.
“He heard his phone ping, took his eyes off the road to look at the phone. Before he knew it, he was at the corner,” Sen Constable Lund said Groves told police in an interview.
The court heard Groves also told police if he didn’t hit the pole, he most likely would have hit the vehicle the witness was in.
He also admitted to smoking three joints of cannabis and doing a line of what he thought was cocaine and ketamine, as well as drinking alcohol, Sen Constable Lund said.
Groves’ solicitor Kristina Kutija told the court her client, who works unloading trucks and as a delivery driver, had a history of cannabis use, but was “in the process of turning his life around”.
She also said he had been billed $33,000 for the cost of damage to the electricity pole and was paying it off at $50 a week, and had already paid back “$3000 or $4000”.
Mr Faram told Groves he was “lucky to be here” as he fined him $2000.
He also cancelled his licence for 18 months, which is longer that the minimum period required by law.
“I’ve taken into account it involves alcohol and drugs and you were on the phone and distracted,” Mr Faram said.