The intersection on Carngham Road where Raymond Edward Wilson crashed. PICTURE: JEREMY BANNISTER
A SEBASTOPOL man is lucky to be alive after he crashed his friend’s new motorbike while drunk, drug affected and travelling at up to 200km/h, a court has heard.
Raymond Edward Wilson, 38, spent three weeks in The Alfred hospital following the October 31 crash last year, and suffered a broken arm, a snapped wrist, he fractured his skull in three places, punctured his lung and had a large chunk of his leg torn off.
Wilson wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time, nor did he have a motorbike licence.
He appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to five charges including driving in a manner dangerous and at a speed dangerous, drink-driving and failing a drug blood test.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Kent said Wilson was testing his friend’s new 2009 Yamaha motorbike in Ballarat’s west about 8.30pm when the crash occurred.
Riding east on Carngham Road, Wilson misjudged his speed – estimated at between 150km/h and 200km/h by a witness – and slammed on the brakes coming into the roundabout at the intersection with Learmonth Street.
He crashed through the roundabout, took out a street sign and slid more than 85 metres before his unconscious body and the wrecked bike came to rest.
“When police arrived at the scene I think everyone just assumed he was a goner,” Wilson’s lawyer, David Tamanika said.
“It was a fortuitous incident for my client in that he even survived his injuries.”
When Wilson was taken to hospital, a blood test revealed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.136 and cannabis in his system. Mr Tamanika said Wilson spent three weeks in hospital, and had to have pins put in his hands and metal rods in an arm.
The court heard Wilson had been smoking cannabis at home on the night before going to a friend’s house and drinking beer. A younger male turned up and was showing off his new motorbike, which Wilson decided to take for a ride.
Magistrate Frank Jones said Wilson’s injuries were more of a punishment than anything the court could impose.
“What he’s gone through and to still be alive is unbelievable,” he said.
“That speed is just unreal, I don’t know what the record is but you must have gotten close to it.”
“Normally I would impose a fine of $2500 to $3000, but your ability to earn money is gone.”
Instead Mr Jones fined Wilson $700 and disqualified him from driving for 26 months.
