A Berkeley father-of-ten blocked his nostrils and jerked his head away from police when they tried to breath test him on the weekend.
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But nothing could have avoided the reading of 0.205 (four times the legal limit) when he eventually complied after an aggressive outburst back at the police station.
Alexander David Buxton faced Wollongong Local Court from custody on Monday. The 45-year-old pleaded guilty to driving with high range PCA, refusing a breath test, refusing to produce a drivers licence, and contravening an apprehended violence order.
According to tendered court documents, police responded to calls that a drunk man was "causing trouble" at the busy Minnamurra Boat Ramp car park on Saturday afternoon.
Upon arrival after 3.30pm, officers saw Buxton get into the driver's seat of a blue Mazda Tribute which was in the middle of the car park.
Buxton made attempts to drive away, however as officers approached he handed the key to a woman in the passenger seat, who he is prohibited from contacting by way of a court order.
A bloodshot-eyed Buxton then refused to comply with a breath test as he pulled his head away from officers, yet the Alcometer signalled a 'Warning Alcohol' alert without a test even being performed.
Buxton then became aggressive. When the woman picked up his licence to hand it to police, he ripped it from her hands.
He was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra police station where his aggression escalated. Buxton repeatedly banged himself against the perspex and stuck his middle fingers up at officers, according to court documents.
Further testing revealed his positive blood alcohol reading of 0.205.
The court heard Buxton recently suffered the loss of a relative, with Magistrate Gabriel Fleming expressing her sincere condolences.
However she noted Buxton was already serving a community prison sentence for serious offences and denied his application for release.
"I understand you've got grief and anxiety in your life, but if you're going to do this then you're going to cause grief and anxiety to someone else's life," Magistrate Fleming said.
Buxton is scheduled to learn his fate on February 28.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
