A Wangaratta learner driver more than five times the legal alcohol limit and on drugs has been fined and disqualified from driving after rolling his friend’s car at Oxley Flats.

The 26-year-old appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday pleading guilty to multiple driving charges.

The court heard on 15 November 2025 at about 6:15pm a grey Commodore rolled down an embankment approaching a slight bend on Oxley Flats Road, coming to a rest heavily damaged on the fence of a farm.

A witness at a nearby property saw the sole occupant of the car leave, return to retrieve a bag and then flee towards a nearby dam.

Another witness called police and officers found the man hiding in the dam with cuts and abrasions.

He was taken to hospital where blood tests found the L-plated driver had an alcohol reading of .269 and cannabis in his system.

Inside the man’s bag were small quantities of MDMA and cannabis and a knuckle duster.

The man was arrested by police on 12 December when he told officers he was “getting smashed” at a work Christmas party that night, where he took a slab of beer and high-strength bourbon.

“How many drinks did you have?” Police asked.

“A lot,” he said.

Defence counsel Nancy Battiato said her client was careless and remorseful for driving under the influence as an L-plater and crashing his friend’s car and he was committed to undertake a safe driver’s program.

Ms Battiato said the 26-year-old had planned on sleeping in the car and had brought bedding to the party, but “for some reason” he decided to drive.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Stuart Pritchard argued for a community corrections order, with police also holding concerns about the man being in possession of a knuckle duster.

“I think it’s about .3 [BAC] where we get concerns on whether they’ll last the night,” he said.

Magistrate Heather Lambrick considered the harsher sentence but placed the man on a 12-month good behaviour bond with conviction and fined him $2500 due to a lack of criminal history and remorse shown.

“You’re probably the luckiest man alive,” she said.

“It’s really fortunate you weren’t killed, you’re fortunate no one else was killed… it’s a miracle really.

“This was bad decision, after bad decision after bad decision, it’s a terrifying combination of circumstances.

“People with these sorts of readings are usually before a completely different court.”

Magistrate Lambrick imposed a 30-month driver’s licence disqualification and ordered he complete a safe driver’s course.