Brock Joseph Swain, 20, appeared in court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving and failing to stop and give particulars after a crash.

He will be sentenced later this month.

According to police, Swain was behind the wheel of a ute that was heading east along the New England Highway at Muswellbrook about 6.50pm on January 25 this year when it crashed into the back of a Lexus stopped at the intersection of Thomas Street.

The ute left the scene without exchanging details with the other driver and a short time later crashed into the side of a Mazda ute, which had also stopped on the highway.

Swain kept driving before his vehicle hit a gutter and came to a stop in nearby John Howe Circuit.

The driver of the Mazda followed Swain and got his details, before calling police.

Hunter Valley police arrived and breath tested Swain, which recorded a positive reading.

He was arrested and taken to Muswellbrook police station where he recorded a reading of 0.278 - more than five times the legal blood alcohol limit.

Swain is a provisional 2 driver, police said, which restricts him to a blood alcohol reading of zero.

His driver's license was suspended and he was granted police bail to appear in court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty.