Goch Goch, 37, from the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, careless driving, breaching an interlock condition and driving while suspended.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Kerrie Thomson said Goch lost control of a car and wedged it between two trees while reversing down a driveway on Sobraon St in Shepparton on to Fair St at a fast rate on April 21, 2024.
The court heard Goch swerved back towards a house and narrowly missed it, mounting the kerb while reversing.
He recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.258, while his licence conditions stipulated it must be zero.
The car he was driving also wasn’t fitted with an alcohol interlock, despite it being a condition of his licence, and his licence was suspended at the time.
Sen Constable Thomson told the court Goch was unco-operative with police, telling them “I never drove anything, I’m not guilty for it”.
Representing himself in court, Goch said although the car he was caught driving had no alcohol interlock device, the car he owned was fitted with one.
Magistrate Simon Zebrowski told Goch there was “no point” having an interlock if the car he was driving didn’t have one.
He noted Goch had previously lost his licence for three months for speeding, and had “many priors” for similar offending.
“It shows you’ve got an alcohol problem,” Mr Zebrowski said.
“You keep doing this, you’ll go to jail for it.”
Mr Zebrowski disqualified Goch’s licence for four years.
He will be assessed for a community corrections order and will be sentenced later in March.
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