Man fined over $4500 for multiple driving offences after hitting kangaroo while test-riding motorcycle

A 35-year-old South West man is “on thin ice” after he crashed a motorcycle into a kangaroo in Bridgetown while high on cannabis. Kaiden Michael Valli pleaded guilty at Manjimup Magistrates Court to two driving offences committed in August resulting in more than $4500 in fines. The court was told that on August 24 at 6pm, Valli was test-riding a Kawasaki motorcycle for sale on Maslin Street in Bridgetown while subject to a licence suspension issued in May. He hit a kangaroo resulting in a minor crash. Valli sustained minor injuries during the incident and attended Bridgetown Hospital where he was subject to a blood analysis by police. The blood analysis determined that he had cannabis in his system at the time of the crash. Police reported that Valli did not provide an explanation of the incident when asked at the hospital. Valli’s lawyer Derek Hunter said Valli had a cone a few days before the incident at a party and did not think it would affect his driving. Mr Hunter said Valli got his licence back in November and needs it for work and to drive around his two children. Valli has a record of driving while suspended, including from May, one in 2017, and one in 2016. He also has a record of driving with drugs in his system with the latest offence being his fourth. Mr Hunter said Valli is committed to coming clean and knows he is likely to go to jail if he continues to commit similar offences. Magistrate Tanya Watt said Valli is “on thin ice now” as further offending could result in jail time. Ms Watt fined Valli $1500 for no authority to drive due to his licence suspension, $1500 for driving with a prescribed illicit drug in his system, $1360 in reparations for the blood analysis and $264 for court costs. The fines also came with a nine-month licence disqualification. In some cases for subsequent offences, a driver can be jailed for up to 18 months for driving without authority due to a licence suspension.