Man caught driving under the influence twice in one day with huge blood alcohol content fined and disqualified

A man caught driving under the influence twice in one day — the first with a blood alcohol content five times the legal limit — has been heavily fined and disqualified from driving for more than two years. Mark Dennis Richard Hill, 25, faced Albany Magistrates Court on December 11 on two DUI charges and one charge of having no authority to drive. Police prosecutor Sgt Warrick Walker told the court that on July 20, Hill was driving his Mitsubishi Lancer on Hanrahan Road after drinking with friends when he was stopped by police about 12.25am and breathalysed. His blood alcohol level was recorded as 0.253g, more than five times the legal limit. He was given a roadside license disqualification notice. Less than four hours later, at 4.13am, Hill was again pulled over by police while driving his car on Middleton Road, in breach of the license disqualification notice. A breathalyser test revealed a reading of 0.182g. Hill was handed another roadside license disqualification. Defence lawyer Lillie Carney said the 25-year-old had been drinking at a friend’s birthday celebration all day before the offence and “doesn’t know what he was thinking”. She said Hill went home to have a nap after the first encounter with police and had not realised he would still be over the limit when he woke up and drove again. Ms Carney pointed to Hill’s successful completion of the drug and alcohol diversion program and said he was “extremely motivated” to abstain from drinking in excess. Sgt Walker said Hill had a prior record as he had previously been convicted of driving with a blood alcohol content higher than 0.08 in 2018. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell accepted Hill had shown remorse and wanted to change his behaviour but noted the prior conviction required her to impose a higher fine — the minimum being $2400 for each DUI charge, and $1000 for driving without a license. “Obviously driving under the influence is a really dangerous thing to do, for both yourself and others on the road, and this is combined with the fact that you had no authority to drive in the first place for the second offence,” she said. Hill was fined a total of $5000 and disqualified from driving for an additional 27 months.