Driver with alcohol and methamphetamine in system jailed for causing GBH in Katanning car crash

A 36-year-old man is behind bars after running a stop sign and seriously injuring an older man in a crash while driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine. Les Gregory Hill appeared in Albany Magistrates Court last Thursday via video-link from Casuarina Prison, pleading guilty to one count of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Police prosecutor Sergeant Dave Loverock told the court Hill crashed into the 74-year-old driver causing injuries so serious that the man had to be flown to Royal Perth Hospital. The crash occurred about 5.15pm on November 27, 2020 at the intersection of Rogers Avenue and Park Street in Katanning. “The accused failed to stop at the intersection with a stop sign and collided with the victim,” Sgt Loverock said. Hill was doing 80km/h in a residential area, with the speed limit 50km/h. The victim’s Holden Astra went through the front yard fence of a home 20m away from the “impact zone”, Sgt Loverock said. Hill’s Mitsubishi Outlander, meanwhile, spun out of control and came to rest 30m from the scene. Sgt Loverock said the victim was flown to Perth with injuries associated with grievous bodily harm. The victim sustained fractures to his spine, fractured ribs and a kidney laceration. After the crash, Hill tested positive to methamphetamine and recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.109. Hill’s lawyer said his client did not see the stop sign, and “embraced the victim” and apologised before collapsing. At the time of the offence, Hill was on a suspended prison term for an assault and vehicle theft. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan said the November traffic offences breached the suspended sentence. “It’s with good luck and medical management the consequences weren’t worse,” she said. Hill was jailed for 14 months backdated to December 16 this year when he was taken into custody. He was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for two years.