Michael David Underwood, 39, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to 14 charges including careless driving and possessing a drug of dependence.

The court heard just before 5am on July 18, 2019, police were patrolling the Hastings area in Melbourne's south-east.

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They came across a single-vehicle crash on Stony Point Road in Crib Point, with Underwood collapsed on the footpath near the car.

The court heard Underwood had been driving the hire vehicle on Stony Point Road when he lost control, crossing into the opposite lane of traffic and crashing into a tree.

Underwood climbed out of the vehicle before he collapsed. He was taken to hospital for his injuries and a blood test showed there was methamphetamine in his system.

Police searched the car and found a small vial of the drug GHB.

The court heard Underwood had an interlock condition on his driver's licence but the hire car was not fitted with an interlock device.

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Underwood was later arrested and interviewed. He told police he used methamphetamine about 24 to 38 hours before the crash, but did not believe he could still have the drug in his system.

The 39-year-old also told police he had been tired while driving and did not realise he could have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Underwood on Wednesday also pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle that was not correctly fitted with an interlock in September and November 2019, driving while under the influence of methamphetamine on November 15, 2019, and stealing petrol from a Kennington service station on March 3 this year.

Defence lawyer Luke Docherty told the court Underwood had been sentenced to a community corrections order in December 2019.

Mr Docherty said most of the charges before the court on Wednesday could have been dealt with at that earlier date.

The defence lawyer said Underwood had to have a full hip replacement as a result of the crash and was unable to work, so a further corrections order with community work would be difficult.

Magistrate Rodney Higgins said if Underwood hadn't received a community corrections order in 2019, he would have jailed him for the driving matters.

Instead, Underwood was convicted and fined $2000. His licence was also cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for six months.

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