A drink driver who crashed into a fence, a bollard, a garden bed and a tree in Molong before driving more than 20 kilometres to Manildra told police the next day that he was "blind" drunk.
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Tyson Thomas Wilkins, 20, of Thomas Street, Orange, was living at Manildra on May 23 when he decided to drive home after drinking at the Telegraph Hotel in Molong.
According to police, Wilkins, who was a P2 licence holder, attended the hotel about 6.30pm and drank about eight schooners of full-strength beer but left with a passenger in his Toyota LandCruiser ute about 11pm.
He drove out of the hotel car park onto Gasworks Lane where he crashed into a fence attached to Molong Motor Inn.
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Wilkins then drove to a petrol station where he hit a bollard, then he drove to the intersection of Bank Street and the Mitchell Highway where he mounted a gutter and drove onto a garden bed and the passenger got out.
The following day he told police that he had continued driving onto Packham Drive and hit a large tree that was next to the road, and the crash caused the metal tray on his ute to bend and the side rail to break away but he continued his journey.
According to police, when officers arrived at the first crash scene Wilkins was present after being identified as the driver who caused the damage and being summoned by the property owners.
Wilkins told police he was "blind" and his memory of the incident was not clear but he had an argument with a friend who told him not to drive.
He was lucky to make the journey safely without injuring himself or killing someone else.
- Solicitor Dannielle Ford
Solicitor Dannielle Ford said the damaged fence was repaired by a contractor and Wilkins spent more than $2000 on the repairs.
Mrs Ford said Wilkins had planned to stay in Molong but had an argument with a friend who he was supposed to be staying with so made an impulsive decision to drive home.
"He was lucky to make the journey safely without injuring himself or killing someone else," Mrs Ford said.
Because he was not breath tested, Wilkins was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Magistrate David Day said it was a jailable offence and had Wilkins had any offences on his record he would have been given a custodial sentence.
Mr Day gave him an 18-month community correction order with conditions he participate in rehabilitation and treatment if required and complete 100 hours of community service. Wilkin's driver's licence was also disqualified for six months and he was given a 24-month interlock order.