Drunk speeding driver jailed over fatal

Updated November 07, 2012 11:30:58

Photo: Jailed: Lee Nugent argued earlier with the victim

Map: Lameroo 5302

A drunk, speeding driver who ran over and killed a man after an argument has been jailed for at least 16 months.

Lee Raymond Nugent, 32, was charged with murder but pleaded guilty instead to causing death by dangerous driving.

In June last year he drove his utility into Matthew Deedman, 39, who had tried to attack Nugent's car with a shovel as he stepped onto the road at Lameroo, in eastern South Australia.

The Adelaide District Court was told Nugent and the victim earlier argued at a party and Nugent was asked to leave.

"It appears that the deceased and at least one of his companions was not content to let matters rest. They left the house in his car looking for you," Judge Sidney Tilmouth said.

"He began advancing towards you. You then drove past them ... at an indefinite speed above 60 kilometres per hour, in a straight, undeviating line. Your blood alcohol level was 0.216 grams at the time. As you approached the intersection, one of the deceased's companions came at you, throwing a spanner at your vehicle, shattering the quarter and passenger windows."

"Then the deceased came out suddenly, taking a few steps of about three metres into the roadway. He was swinging a large wooden-handled spade at the car, which struck the passenger-side door. During this manoeuvre, he pivoted in front of you and hit the front right bullbar, causing the injuries from which he subsequently died."

Judge Tilmouth told Nugent his offending was grave because it involved drink, speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road, but the victim also was partly to blame.

"The gravamen of your offending lies in the combination of an excessively-high level of alcohol, driving above the speed limit and driving on the wrong side of the road," he said.

"On the other hand, the victim came at you in order to confront you, effectively throwing himself into your path. I am satisfied that these circumstances substantially mitigated your conduct and that they are relevant in the sentencing process."

Judge Tilmouth banned Nugent from driving for 11 years and cited his history of drink-driving offences in not suspending the sentence of 23 months, with 16 non-parole.

Topics: courts-and-trials, crime, traffic-offences, prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, lameroo-5302, adelaide-5000, sa, mount-gambier-5290, renmark-5341, australia

First posted November 07, 2012 11:24:08