Drink-driver couldn’t remember hitting car on highway

Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Anna Hanlon said Briggs recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.143 and was travelling at 80km/h in a 60km/h zone when he hit a car on the causeway section of the Midland Hwy at Shepparton on May 7.

He was driving in the right lane when he hit a car in the left lane after travelling from Mooroopna.

The passenger side mirror of the other car was folded back, with more damage done to that side, Leading Sen Constable Hanlon said.

After pulling over on Fryers St, Briggs told police he’d had five beers and couldn’t remember the incident.

Representing himself in court, Briggs said there were no excuses for his behaviour, and he had since lost his job because he lost his licence.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski told Briggs “the consequences of drink-driving should be obvious to everyone”.

“You gambled, threw the dice and you lost,” he said.

Briggs was fined $800 and had his licence cancelled for 18 months, backdated to start on the date of the offence.