Inverell Local Court: Todd James Walker, 34, sentenced for drink-driving after car accident near Graman

Todd James Walker, 34, came before Inverell Local Court on Thursday, March 17, charged with mid-range drink driving after he crashed his Mitsubishi Triton on Yetman Road, near Graman.

Statements tendered to court outlined that Walker had arrived at the Graman pub about 4.30pm on December 9, according to CCTV footage, and had stayed until 2.30am, December 10.

The footage then depicted a "stumbling" Walker get into his car and drive away.

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He lost control of the vehicle approximately three kilometres away, sliding off the road and rolling numerous times, given the extent of the damage to the roof and body.

The doors seized, trapping him inside. He was eventually discovered about three hours later by a witness who saw the car while driving past and called emergency services.

When police arrived they found Walker laying across the front seats with a large cut about his eye and not completely coherent, the statements continued.

Ambulance paramedics and the NSW VRA arrived shortly after the police and assisted in removing him from the wreckage for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to transport him in a stable condition to Tamworth Base Hospital with suspected head and spinal injuries.

At the hospital, he gave a blood-alcohol reading of 0.109. His injuries included two fractured ribs and a number of "superficial lacerations", the statements said.

Four days after his hospitalisation, Walker went to the Inverell Police Station where he told officers he had no recollection of the crash and only remembered the drive home towards Inverell and brief moments of being trapped.

His solicitor on Thursday, Stephen Collins, said his client had no intention of getting another car and would instead ride a bike, which effectively put his trade "on ice".

"He is shaken by the experience ... and will not allow himself to get to the level of intoxication shown in the footage and the reading," Mr Collins explained.

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"He's hopefully learned a big lesson."

Magistrate Brett Shields said Walker was "very, very lucky" he wasn't killed or seriously injured.

"You were a danger to yourself and everyone else," he said.

Walker was convicted, fined $1000 and, while given an interlock exemption because he had no access to a car, his disqualification was upped from the minimum to 12 months.

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