A magistrate has given a man a chance to continue self-directing his rehabilitation after rolling his car while speeding and drink driving on the Western Highway.
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Timothy Larsen, 30, had stopped at a pub for a few drinks on his trip from Melbourne to Ararat with two mates on November 14, 2020.
Witnesses saw him speeding between 160km/h and 180km/h and veering out of his lane on the Western Highway past Beaufort and made reports to police.
Larsen was driving near Buangor when he lost control of his four wheel drive, collided with the left side railing and went through it before rolling and coming to rest in a roadside reserve.
He blew a reading of 0.149 and a road collision investigator estimated Larsen was driving 150km/h when he lost control of the car.
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Neither Larsen or his two friends were injured in the rollover, which Magistrate Letizia Torres previously described as a 'miracle'.
Defence lawyer Scott Belcher said Larsen did not have any prior convictions for driving matters, worked full-time, had been seeing a psychologist since the incident and had family support.
He said it was more appropriate for him to be sentenced to a good behaviour bond, rather than a community corrections order, because he did not need intervention in his rehabilitation.
I can see you understand the incredible danger of what you did and you have put things in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.
- Magistrate Letizia Torres
"He has done some amazing things for rehabilitation on his own," Mr Belcher said.
"I ask Your Honour to focus on the individual response of Mr Larsen, given all the good things he has done since the offending behaviour, in opposition to requiring state intervention."
Mr Belcher asked for a good behaviour bond with conditions for Larsen to complete a road trauma awareness course, make a donation to Road Trauma Support Services and continue counselling.
"Even though a bond might be perceived as a softer option, I would argue it would be more effective to consider those three conditions rather than deploy the state's resources in an intervention I argue is not required for Mr Larsen," he said.
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"He works full time, is engaged with a GP and psychologist, he has done everything he could possibly do to improve the situation and not return to court."
Ms Torres agreed with Mr Belcher's submissions and sentenced Larsen to a good behaviour bond with those conditions, without conviction, at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday.
"It is good you are engaged in the process and it is not the court telling you to do it. I am formalising what you are already doing," she said.
"I can see you understand the incredible danger of what you did and you have put things in place to ensure it doesn't happen again."
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