A driver who crashed into a parked car after dropping a cigarette on his lap and another who ran into the back of a car in a shopping centre car park have been convicted in Orange Local Court.
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Both drivers had left the scene of the crashes without giving their details to owners of the damaged vehicles.
Robert William Cashel, 47, of Frost Street, was not present in court when he was sentenced for negilgent driving and not giving his particulars to the owner of damaged property.
According to police, Cashel was driving a Holden Rodeo ute along Bletchington Street, at 1.10pm on February 7.
However, about 100 metres from the intersection of Bletchington and Spring streets he dropped the cigarette onto his lap causing him to swerve and crash into an unoccupied Toyota sedan that was parked on the other side of the road.
Cashel then reversed back and got out of his vehicle to check the other car's bumper, which was hanging off.
He attempted to push the bumper back in place then got back into his vehicle and continued driving west along Bletchington Street without leaving his contact details.
Police spoke to him about the crash on August 6 and he admitted to driving the vehicle and swerving right into the parked car after dropping the cigarette.
He told police he freaked out and didn't know what to do so he got back into his car after attempting to put the bumper back then kept driving.
According to police, Cashel had a lengthy criminal record and on May 23, 2021, he was convicted of driving with an illicit drug present in his blood. On that occasion he was fined $660 in Orange Local Court and he was disqualified from driving for six months.
Magistrate David Day convicted Cashel in his absence for the two crash-related offences. He said Cashel's driving history also included convictions for high-range drink-driving and mid-range drink-driving.
"His traffic record is not good, his traffic record is bad," he said.
He fined Cashel $550 for negligent driving and he fined him $110 for failing to give his particulars.
In another matter, Craig Orcher, 23, of Davidson Drive, Dubbo, did not give his particulars to the driver of a car he hit in the Woolworth's car park in Sale Street.
Orcher was also not present in court for sentencing.
According to police, the victim was driving a Mercedes Benz in the car park at 4.23pm on February 27 and stopped to give way at the Sale Street exit.
Orcher ran into the back of the Mercedes causing a dent the size of a "volleyball" with a crack in it in the rear bumper. The two drivers had a conversation before Orcher drove away without leaving his details.
Mr Day fined him $110 for not giving his particulars.
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