A driver who careered through a Bendigo roundabout, damaging a sign and narrowly missing another vehicle, has been convicted over the incident.
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On the evening of October 31 last year, Bendigo Magistrates' Court heard, 26-year-old Taylor Stewart entered the five-way roundabout in Kennington from Somerville Street at a fast speed.
He hit the bluestone edge of the roundabout, crashed into a sign and vegetation, before exiting onto Sternberg Street on the other side, narrowly missing a collision with another vehicle.
The car was damaged and leaked a large amount of oil onto the road.
Stewart pulled the vehicle over on Sternberg Street and spoke to a witness, before walking away from the scene.
He pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court this month to driving carelessly, breaching a licence condition, and failing to report an accident.
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The court was told Stewart was a probationary driver with a condition on his licence permitting him to only drive automatic vehicles, but the car he drove that day - a friend's vehicle - had manual transmission.
In court, Stewart said he agreed to the charges, although he took issue with the allegation he entered the roundabout at speed.
"I might have been going a little bit quicker than normal, but nothing drastic," he said.
When asked why he left the scene without reporting the incident to police, he said there were no other cars involved and he left the car in a safe position, so he did not think he had to tell anyone.
He said he was not aware the sign was damaged or a large amount of oil was left on the road.
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Stewart also told the court it had been "a long time" since he had done anything stupid in a car.
He said he needed his licence for work.
But magistrate Sharon McRae noted Stewart had a "very poor driving history", including a prior instance of drug-driving.
"I'm pretty unimpressed with your driving on this day," Ms McRae told Stewart.
The magistrate admonished Stewart for leaving the scene, particularly given the oil left on the road could have posed a hazard to other drivers.
Ms McRae said if it were not for a witness calling emergency services and having the oil mopped up quickly, an accident could have resulted.
She convicted Stewart and fined him $1000, plus costs.
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