By Lachlan Ellis
A motorcyclist has admitted a lapse in concentration resulted in him being caught speeding, while also suspended from driving.
Tyrone Parkhill appeared in-person at the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates Court on Friday 9 June, admitting there were “a myriad of excuses” for the two charges and apologising.
Police Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable David Vanderpol told Magistrate Hugh Radford that Mr Parkhill was caught travelling at almost 120 kilometres an hour earlier this year.
“At Ballan on the 18th of March 2023, the accused was the driver of a motor vehicle on Ballan-Daylesford Road whilst his licence was suspended. Also on that date, he was observed driving on that same road between Dehnerts Road and Flacks Lane, at a speed of 119 kilometres per hour, the alleged speed being 117 kilometres per hour,” Leading Senior Vanderpol said.
He said that he had mistakenly started driving again before his licence suspension ended after being unwell.
“I was basically one week in, I miscalculated when I should’ve stopped driving. I’d been away, a bit of brain fade from having COVID, that put me out a week of where I was supposed to be. I had a ride to clear my head, had a rain cell above me, and my visor was broken,” Mr Parkhill said.
“I’m in my late 50s and I’m here for something like this, it’s very embarrassing.”
The road in question is a 100 kilometres an hour zone, meaning that luckily for Mr Parkhill his speeding was less than 25 kilometres an hour, meaning no mandatory disqualification period.
Magistrate Radford decided not to add a further period to Mr Parkhill’s licence suspension, but imposed a fine of $600 without conviction.
