A teenage driver on his probationary licence has allegedly recorded a blood-alcohol reading more than double the legal limit after his vehicle ploughed into a residential home in Victoria's southwest overnight, causing substantial structural damage to the property.
Emergency Response to High Street Incident
Emergency services were called to High Street in Terang at approximately 3am on Sunday morning after multiple Triple Zero callers reported a car had smashed directly into a house. Police units from both Warrnambool and Camperdown responded swiftly to the scene.
Alleged Driver Found at Scene
Upon arrival, officers located the alleged driver still at the crash site. The individual was identified as a 19-year-old man from Boorcan who holds a probationary driver's licence, commonly referred to as a P-plater in Victoria.
Remarkably, no one inside the home sustained any injuries during the violent impact, and the teenage driver also escaped without physical harm despite the severity of the collision.
Shocking Breath Test Results
Police conducted an evidentiary breath test on the young driver, which returned a reading of 0.132. This result is more than double the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.05 for fully licensed drivers in Victoria, and significantly exceeds the zero-tolerance limit that applies to probationary licence holders.
As a direct consequence of this alleged offence, the teenager's driver's licence was immediately suspended at the scene by attending officers.
Expected Charges and Property Damage
Victoria Police have indicated the 19-year-old is expected to face a range of driving and drink-driving offences following this serious incident. The charges will likely reflect the dangerous nature of the crash and the extremely high alcohol reading.
The residential property suffered significant structural damage from the impact, with a building assessor scheduled to inspect the home later on Sunday to evaluate the full extent of the destruction and determine necessary repairs.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of drink driving, particularly among young and inexperienced motorists, and highlights the potential consequences that extend beyond legal penalties to include property damage and risk to public safety.
