A P-plater who had been drinking at the time he crashed into another vehicle last Christmas Eve has paid the price, offering a message of remorse to the court.
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In a cautionary tale to young drivers in the region, Zachary Kupsch, 22, pleaded guilty to one charge of careless driving in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court for a collision on Yarrowee Street in Sebastopol in the early morning of December 24.
Kupsch failed to give way and collided with another car.
He was breathalysed for alcohol at Ballarat Police Station after the incident and showed a reading of .049, which was later confirmed by blood sample.
The prescribed blood alcohol reading for a P-Plater in Victoria is 0.
Kupsch represented himself in court and told Magistrate Bruce Cottrill it was a bad decision to drive home after a work break up.
"I would like to say sorry to the people I hit," Kupsch said.
"I was thinking selfishly of myself and I didn't realise it would have an impact on someone else."
The court heard a bill of $12,000 was ahead of Kupsch to pay off from the crash.
Mr Cottrill said it was an expensive exercise "that could've cost a lot more".
"You could've been killed or injured or you could've been dealt with for culpable driving in the County Court," he said.
"How close was that to you killing someone and possibly yourself?"
The magistrate said he accepted Kupsch's remorse but gave a stern warning for the future.
"You stand the risk of losing your licence for a very long time or even a term of imprisonment," he said.
"You have the opportunity to go on to become a worthwhile member of the community ... but if you play the game you've got to expect the knocks."
Kupsch was convicted, ordered to complete a safe driving program, fined $1000 plus $131.50 in court costs, and his licence was disqualified for six months.
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