WHAT first appeared to be a man who had lost control of his car while under the influence of alcohol, has turned out to be a failed suicide attempt by a couple in great despair.
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On the surface level it seemed like a "run of the mill" drive drink incident, Magistrate Chris Bone said in Queanbeyan Local Court this week.
But after delving a little deeper, he said it was a much more serious. The Canberra couple hadn't swerved to miss a kangaroo like they had initially claimed: they had deliberately rammed a guardrail along the Kings Highway.
The car skidded along the rail for 200 metres before mounting an embankment and colliding with a fence, the police report states. It came to a final stop, resting in a paddock.
After reading a doctor's letter in which the man had said he was in a suicidal frame of mind that night, Magistrate Bone asked the man why he felt the need to end his life.
The man explained that the couple were going through a tumultuous period. They were living under the weight of several failed IVF attempts coupled with the crippling cost of the procedure, which was sending them bankrupt.
"Me and my wife both agreed to it [the suicide]," he said.
After downing seven schooners of beer, the man - with his wife by his side, set out for the road on the night of September 5. A test later revealed he was driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.095.
Following the crash, the woman sustained some minor injuries but the pair were otherwise unhurt. There was major damage to the car and the guard rail, according to police facts.
Although, the couple initially claimed they had tried to avoid hitting a kangaroo, the police did not find any evidence to verify this.
However, Magistrate Bone noted a lack of evidence did not necessarily mean there hadn't been a kangaroo at the scene.
The man told the court they were now in a better place and no longer wanted to self-harm. He had received counselling through Crisis Care and Beyond Blue and no longer had suicidal thoughts.
He said his father had offered to help the couple out financially and they were continuing IVF treatment. His wife was also in court to support him.
Although the case had the most unusual of circumstances, Magistrate Bone said he would treat it like any other traffic matter.
He fined the man $500 for driving with a midrange PCA and disqualified his licence for six months; he received a $300 fine for the negligent driving charge.
Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by calling Lifeline 131 114, Mensline 1300 789 978, Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.
