Bunbury man Dale Kelly-Baggs avoids losing licence after driving on footpath to get around motorist

A Bunbury man has avoided losing his driver’s licence after driving along a busy footpath after getting impatient with another motorist. Dale Ronald Kelly-Baggs appeared in Bunbury Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where he was fined $1000 after pleading guilty to a charge of dangerous driving. The court was told Kelly-Baggs was driving his vehicle along Stirling Street near the Bunbury Post Office when he came up behind another motorist at 11.10am on September 29. After becoming impatient and sounding his car horn several times to no avail, Kelly-Baggs mounted his car on to the nearby footpath and drove past the other motorist before speeding off. The court was told there were pedestrians on the footpath but nobody was injured during the incident. During a police interview, Kelly-Baggs made full admissions to the offence, explaining that he was running late for work at the time. It was submitted Kelly-Baggs was working a split shift as a delivery driver and was leaving a separate prior engagement to get to his next shift and thought the other motorist was attempting to leave a parking spot. Kelly-Baggs’ duty lawyer Derek Hunter submitted his client accepted he made the wrong decision under stress. Though police prosecutor Sergeant Darren Grigson said the offending “screamed disqualification” of Kelly-Baggs’ licence, Magistrate Linda Keane opted to hand down a bigger fine to allow Kelly-Baggs to continue working and providing for his young family while still punishing him for the offence. Ms Keane also warned Kelly-Baggs that he would be likely to lose his licence if he offended in a similar way again. “This [offending] is crazily dangerous and more than just stupid,” Ms Keane said. “You were driving like a lunatic, it was extremely dangerous and it was a deliberate and wilful act.” Along with the $1000 fine, Kelly-Baggs was ordered to pay court costs.

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Bunbury man Dale Kelly-Baggs avoids losing licence after driving on footpath to get around motorist