Unlicensed driver pleads guilty to crash metres from sleeping man
Paul Jenkins pleaded guilty to crashing through a power pole into a home, metres from a sleeping man.
Paul Jenkins, an unlicensed driver, crashed a Ford Falcon through a power pole and into a home in Merbein, Victoria on May 11. The car came to rest just two metres from a bed where a 70-year-old man was sleeping.
Jenkins pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering life, reckless driving, and more than a dozen other charges in Mildura Magistrates' Court. The crash caused more than $156,000 damage to the home and more than $25,000 damage to the power pole.
Jenkins fled the scene on foot and was arrested on June 22 after further offences, including chasing another driver at 180 km/h. He will undergo psychological assessment before sentencing.
- $156,000 home, $25,000 power pole
- Damage total
- 2 metres from sleeping man aged 70
- Crash proximity
- 180 km/h after fleeing scene
- Chase speed
- Unlicensed driver
- Licence status
Why it mattersUnlicensed and reckless driving puts households at immediate life-or-death risk with potential for catastrophic damage.
AustraliaThis Victorian court case highlights how unlicensed driving and speeding create severe community risks, with penalties and psychological assessment part of Australia's response.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 d ago
