Rick Jason Armstrong, 31, of Rose Street South Bathurst was convicted of high-range PCA in Orange Local Court on Monday and fined $1000 for the offence.

He was also given a 12-month good behaviour bond, disqualified from driving for six months and will carry an interlock device on his car for the next two years following an incident on December 18. 

According to police, Armstrong drove southbound along Anson Street in his Toyota Corolla sedan at about 10.15pm when he hit a parked Mazda BT-50 between Franklin and Gardiner roads. 

Both vehicles needed to be towed from the scene. 

Armstrong registered a blood alcohol reading of 0.157 and his licence was automatically suspended. 

In court, solicitor Neil Jones said his client had been drinking since 4pm.

“For reasons he can’t explain, he drove,” he said. 

However, Mr Jones said Armstrong immediately took responsibility for his actions and was a proud Wiradjuri man, both within his workplace and in a voluntary capacity.

He said he had a high need for a licence given his employment took him as far afield as Broken Hill. 

Magistrate Bruce Williams said he had no doubt Armstrong was otherwise of good character.

“You are a great example in a lot of ways but as to this, this wasn’t a good way of being a good example, was it?” he said. 

Mr Williams noted the reading only just reached the high-range category.

“But you have to pass through low range and mid-range to get there,” he said.