By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Berwick man was caught driving on ‘ice’ three times in a “rough” year, including while speeding at 126 km/h on the Monash Freeway.
Steven Paul Parker, 39, who is now working in mines in Rockhampton Queensland, represented himself at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 25 January.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of drug-driving, speeding and several counts of driving while suspended or unlicensed.
Parker indicated he was contesting an accusation of stealing a $40,000 Nissan XTrail hire vehicle in October 2020.
He was detected at 126 km/h by a police vehicle on a 100 km/h stretch of the Monash between Stud and Gladstone roads Dandenong in June 2019.
After his Holden sedan was pulled over on Wellington Road, Parker tested positive for methamphetamine.
He told police that he’d used about “two lines” of speed three nights earlier.
“Honestly I thought it would have been out of my system by now.”
He was also caught driving on ice and with an expired licence after turning across two solid white lines to enter a servo on Punt Road, Richmond in October 2019.
He’d used meth the night before and not expected that it was still “detectable”, he said at the time.
Parker was caught a third time drug driving – and while suspended – on Monash Freeway Doveton on 22 June 2020.
Again he told police, he was unaware the ice would still be in his system.
He was also caught driving suspended after police found him with his vehicle run out of petrol on Overland Drive, Narre Warren.
His blue Holden – which was impounded by police – has since been sold.
“Obviously 2019 was a pretty difficult and rough year for me,” Parker told the court via video link.
At a “controlled environment” at the mines, he was being drug tested daily and kept “clean”.
“Me and drugs are no more.”
Parker had a drink-driving prior within the previous 10 years.
Magistrate Costa Kilias disqualifed Parker for the minimum 12-month disqualification period.
