Police blitz: Wide Bay bust continues with arrests, charges

A police crackdown on drivers continues in the Wide Bay Burnett with nearly 1000 charges levelled at drivers in Operation Whiskey Legion.

A 51-year-old Mount Larcom woman allegedly returned a high-range breath alcohol concentration of 0.157 per cent. She was charged with one count of did drive UIL, and issued a drivers licence suspension notice and a Notice to Appear in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 15.

Police conducted a combined total of more than 4800 random breath tests and random drug tests since Operation Whiskey Legion began the Wide Bay Burnett district deployment on August 1.

Within just two hours, police say they found four impaired drivers through a single RBT/RDT site on the Burnett Hwy in Gayndah yesterday, August 6.

A 20-year-old Gayndah man allegedly tested positive to cannabis in a roadside drug test and saliva analysis.

He was issued with a 24-hour drivers licence suspension notice, a saliva analysis notice and was ordered to appear in the Gayndah Magistrates Court on September 13.

A 36-year-old Biggenden woman was allegedly recorded driving with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.054 per cent.

She was issued a 24-hour drivers licence suspension notice.

A 27-year-old old Gayndah woman allegedly tested positive to cannabis in a roadside drug test and saliva analysis.

A 53-year-old Gayndah man allegedly tested positive to methamphetamine through a roadside drug test and saliva analysis.

He was issued with a 24-hour drivers licence suspension notice, a saliva analysis notice and was ordered to appear in the Gayndah Magistrates Court on September 13.

In just seven days into their operation Wide Bay officers have arrested 289 on 992 charges related to allegedly driving under the influence. Picture: Natasha Emeck

Police also arrested a woman for allegedly drink driving three times the legal limit during a patrol of Moore Park Beach.

Police say A 51-year-old Mount Larcom woman returned a high-range breath alcohol concentration of 0.157 per cent.

She was charged with drink-driving, issued a drivers’ licence suspension notice and was ordered to appear in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 15.

Acting Senior Sergeant Josh Churchward said travelling on country roads often involved driving longer distances at higher speeds and required a greater level of concentration.

“Driving impaired with alcohol or drugs exponentially increases the risks of a crash and places the lives of all road users at risk, including yours, your passenger’s, pedestrian’s and other driver’s,” he said.

“We have lost 17 lives on our roads in the Wide Bay Burnett district this year and that’s far too many.“