By JESSE GRAHAM
A WOORI Yallock will serve a community corrections order after a horrific rollover crash near Woori Yallock last year.
Matthew Beech, 22, fronted the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Friday 29 July, to answer charges for a crash on Healesville-Kooweerup Road on 23 May 2015.
About 10.45pm, Beech lost control of the car he was driving with a passenger, rolling the car onto its roof and landing in a water-filled culvert.
The passenger was able to free himself, but as the car filled up he had to hold Beech’s head above water to stop him from drowning.
Beech was taken to The Alfred hospital, and a blood sample at 2am the next day returned a blood alcohol content result of 0.183 – a forensic test determined that the blood alcohol content at the time of the crash would have been between 0.216 – 0.250, more than four times the legal limit.
Magistrate Marc Sargent noted Beech’s lack of prior convictions for drink driving, agreeing to have the man assessed for a community corrections order.
“It sounds like you’re lucky to be here with us today,” Mr Sargent said.
“As a young person, there’s no doubt it’s well settled that jail is a last resort.”
