Driver fined, banned after hitting pole

By Sarah Schwager
A CRANBOURNE man who ploughed into a light pole earlier this year pleaded guilty to all charges at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Gavin Fleet, 24, was fined $600 and had his driving licence suspended for 12 months over the incident on 16 May.
The informant, Senior Constable Leigh Moss of Cranbourne Police, said at about 10.30pm on 16 May, Fleet lost control of his car after rounding the corner from Huon Park Road into Hazelwood Avenue in Cranbourne North.
He said the car mounted the pavement outside 2 Hazelwood Avenue and hit a light pole, catapulting it into the house at number 4.
Sen Const Moss said Fleet had a blood alcohol level of .122 and was charged with drink driving and careless driving.
Fleet said in court on Monday he had acted carelessly and was not in a fit state of mind.
He said he had not been expecting to drive that night and was responding to a call from his father saying his stepmother was going to stab him and to come over immediately.
He said he had little recollection of the event due to suffering bipolar disorder and a panic attack at the phone call from his father.
Fleet provided statutory declarations to the court from his father, stepmother and partner, and a letter from his psychiatrist.
Magistrate Doug Bolster gave Fleet three months to pay the fine and urged him not to drive during the suspended 12 months.