Top cop takes aim at reckless drivers’ disregard for road safety

Campbell And Phil  TBW Newsgroup
POLICE CONCERN: Limestone Coast Police operations manager Inspector Campbell Hill and officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff have both expressed concerns this week about driving behaviour in Mount Gambier.

POLICE have condemned a man’s “insane” hoon driving shortly after collecting his car from impound.

At around 1.30pm on April 29, police received reports of a green Ford sedan doing burnouts on the new Penola Bypass Road.

Further enquiries helped police to identify the driver, a 22-year-old Naracoorte man, who had
picked up his car from the Mount Gambier impound yard earlier in the day after it had been impounded for similar offences.

Limestone Coast Police officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff questioned the “smarts of the man” who committed the offence.

“You go and collect your car – which had been impounded after you did burnouts – and you celebrate by being a hoon and doing more burnouts,” Supt Hoff said.

“What does that say about the insanity of some people, that you would do the same thing over and over again for the same outcome.”

He described the dangerous driving as a blatant disregard for the safety of other people on the road.

“Some people just do not get it,” Supt Hoff said.

“It is a small group of people who are deliberately flouting the law and putting other people in danger – it is unconscionable conduct.”

The man was reported for misuse of a motor vehicle, had his car impounded for 28 days and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

“Driving a car is one of the most dangerous things we do and what do we need to do to get this message through to some people,” Supt Hoff said.

“I recognise that most people on the roads are doing the right thing, but there are some people who are deliberately doing the wrong thing.”

In a separate incident, another Naracoorte man was reported for drink driving after he allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading three times over the legal limit on Sunday night.

Just after 9pm, a police patrol stopped a man driving a Holden sedan on Illawarra Street at Naracoorte for a random breath test.

The 32-year-old man was reported for drink driving after he returned a blood alcohol reading of .150 – three times over the legal limit.

The Naracoorte man had his licence disqualified immediately for 12 months and his car was impounded for 28 days.

He will also be summoned to appear in the Naracoorte Magistrates Court at date to be set.

Anyone with any information relating to dangerous driving on city streets can contact the police on 131 444 or call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.