Not only did he receive serious facial injuries but the crash has caused a financial walloping, with Mr Mendez paying for damages and ongoing legal costs and now a fine.

Mr Mendez, 44, of Surf Beach, revealed in Batemans Bay Local Court that the 6.20pm crash on September 22 last year had cost him a loss of $17,000 for his 4WD, and a $6600 damages bill for the cracked power pole.

He pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving with a blood/alcohol reading of 0.199.

Defence lawyer Geoffrey Knox told the court the accident happened when another car came out of a laneway onto Beach Road and Mr Mendez over-reacted after drinking alcohol and hit the power pole.

He said Mr Mendez and his male passenger both received serious facial injuries and were flown to a Canberra hospital for surgery.

Mr Knox said his client worked on wind turbines for a Spanish company and traveled extensively but without a licence would lose his job as well as a lot of money.

Magistrate David Degnan said Mr Mendez told police he drank four cans of beer the morning of the accident and then drank four or five schooners of beer that afternoon in the hotel before driving his 4WD and crashing.

He warned the offender he faced a jail penalty of up to 18-months for the offence and was not assisted by his traffic record.

“You really are on the borderline of a jail sentence,” Mr Degnan said.

He convicted and fined Mr Mendez $2000, disqualified him from driving for three years, and placed him on a three-year good behaviour bond.

If Mr Mendez re-offends in that time he must come back before the court to be re-sentenced on this offence.