Drunk chugs a beer after crashing into house

Alice Springs, Northern Ter., Aus - - A drunk who crashed his car into a sleeping couple's bedroom allegedly cracked open a beer after freeing himself from his crumpled sedan and declared: "I'm going to jail for sure."

A 36-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, asleep in the room, cheated death when the runaway car shunted their bed sideways.

The 32-year-old driver's car had crashed through the fence of the Lindsay Ave unit in Alice Springs about 2am yesterday.

It then crashed into the unit sending chunks of concrete blockwork tumbling from the wall, grazing the sleeping man's back. The bonnet came to rest above the pair's double bed.

They escaped serious injury. The man said: "The crash was bizarre. I'm glad no-one was injured. I am very, very, very lucky."

Unit owner Danielle Loy agreed the sleeping man was lucky to be alive. "They were sleeping on the other side of the bed, cuddled up," she said. "If he had slept like he normally did he'd be dead. They've basically just cheated death."

The couple told Ms Loy the driver had quickly emptied a beer after crashing the car, allegedly saying: "I'd better have another beer, I'm going to jail for sure."

Acting Senior Sergeant Jody Nobbs last night said the driver had been charged with doing an act causing potential danger. Sen-Sgt Nobbs said the driver had been bailed to appear in court at a later date. He said police were waiting for the results of a blood sample from the driver. The driver was taken to Alice Springs Hospital with minor injuries, but was released into police custody..

Alice Springs fire station Commander John Kleeman said the sleeping man's pillow was found under the crumpled bonnet of the car.