A MAN who swerved to miss a kangaroo while behind the wheel with alcohol in his system has been told by a magistrate he is "lucky to be alive".
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Connor Gary Marshall, 20, of Falnash Street, Portland pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on August 23, 2023 to low range drink-driving.
After drinking four full strength beers at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Bathurst on February 17, 2023, Marshall tried to drive back to Portland in his white Toyota Hilux, court papers said.
Marshall was travelling along Sunny Corner Road about 2am when he swerved to miss a kangaroo and crashed his ute.
The court heard Marshall's vehicle rolled six times into a river embankment.
Police arrived a short time later and spoke with Marshall, who said he couldn't remember anything but rolling for about 50 metres.
He was then taken to Orange Base Hospital.
Court documents state Marshall was found to have a blood alcohol reading of 0.070.
Marshall's vehicle - which was uninsured at the time - had been destroyed in the crash.
Sentence
Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis began Marshall's sentence by saying that he was "lucky to be alive".
"I should've picked the next morning to drive, most definitely," Marshall said in response.
"I felt normal."
Ms Ellis then reminded Marshall of the seriousness of drink-driving, saying "you put your life and others at risk".
Marshall was convicted and fined $750.
He was also disqualified from driving for four months.
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