Drink-drive Redlands Mayor Karen Williams cut from 2032 Olympics board

Redlands Mayor Karen Williams has been cut from the 2032 Brisbane Olympics board, as police say it could take weeks before blood results confirm whether she should be charged after crashing into a tree.

Redlands Mayor Karen Williams will no longer serve as a member on the board of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner made the announcement on Sunday night.

“I sincerely thank Mayor Williams who has always been and continues to be a strong advocate for the Games,” Mr Schinner said.

Her departure may pave the way for Tom Tate to gain a spot on the board.

The Gold Coast mayor said he was “ready to accept an SEQ Olympics board position, should it be offered. Until then, I have no further comment”.

The SEQ Council of Mayors will decide on a replacement at a meeting on Friday.

It comes as police say it could take weeks before blood results ­establish if Ms Williams should be charged after she lost control of her car and crashed into a tree.

Redlands Mayor Karen Williams speaks to media after admitting to drinking several glasses of wine before crashing her car on Thursday night. Picture: 9 News Queensland.

While a drink-driving offence doesn’t trigger a stand down from council, Ms Williams might not be able to receive a work licence if she is convicted of a high-range drink-driving offence.

Ms Williams had held a Zoom meeting with families who lost loved ones to drunk drivers before she crashed about an hour later on Thursday night.

She spoke with the family of Matty Field, who died with his pregnant partner Kate Leadbetter after they were hit by a stolen car driven by a drunk and high teen in Alexandra Hills a year ago.

Calling for tougher youth justice laws, Ms Williams was the principal petitioner to ­appeal the sentence of the now-18-year-old driver.

Also in the meeting was road-safety advocate Judy Lindsay, whose daughter Hayley Russell was killed by a drunk driver in 2009.

Ms Lindsay said Ms Williams’s camera turned off for periods of time during the online meeting, which ran from about 6pm to 7pm, which was after the Redland City Council ­budget was brought down.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Emergency services were called to the crash scene at the intersection of Wellington and Queen streets at 8pm.

Ms Lindsay said Ms Williams should resign.

“I was so disgusted, I told her I could not ever be connected with her again,” she said.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon on Sunday said she thought it was untenable for Ms Williams to continue as mayor. “When you look at the fact that Karen Williams was on the phone to families who had lost a loved one to drink-driving and then an hour later got in the car under the influence – that’s pretty untenable,” she said.

Ms Williams has said that she drank “several” glasses of wine, and would co-operate with police. She has resisted calls to resign and said she would continue to serve her community to make it a “safer place”.

She said she had made a “serious error of judgment” and there were “no excuses” for her actions. “While no one was hurt or injured I understand circumstances could have been very different.”