Natalie Macqueen in court for drug driving

A mum of two who had four different drugs in her system the day she crashed into a power pole and spun out on the road was one of 11 drink and drug drivers to front the Hervey Bay court this week. Read what the court heard:

A mother-of-two who drove under the influence of four drugs including meth and oxycodone was busted by police when she crashed into power pole.

Natalie Macqueen, 39, pleaded guilty to drug driving when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the incident happened on Tooth St in Pialba when Macqueen crossed to the wrong side of the road, crashed into a power pole then spun out on the road.

Macqueen later supplied a sample of blood for analysis, with meth, amphetamine, oxycodone and cannabis found in her system.

She had never been before the court before and said the incident was the result of a “lapse in judgement”.

Macqueen said she was “very sorry and “very lucky I didn’t hurt anybody”.

She said she had lost her job working as a barista at a cafe as a result of the offence and had been working with her doctor to formulate a mental health plan.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said the offence was “really serious”.

Macqueen was disqualified from driving for three months and fined $500.

Drug driving motorcyclist apologises to court

A motorcyclist who was busted drug driving has apologised to the court for his actions.

James Alexander Daisley, 63, pleaded guilty to drug driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.

The court heard Daisley was stopped by police on March 18, 2022 about 8pm on Drury Lane in Dundowran.

He returned a positive result, the court was told.

Daisley had retired from the construction industry and was now caring for his wife, he told the court.

“I apologise to the court,” he said.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said the offending was serious and put the community at risk.

Daisley was fined $350 and a conviction was recorded.

P-plater busted over the limit

A P-plater admitted she made a “stupid decision” when she got behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

Sarah Bethany Crumblin, 25, pleaded guilty to drink driving when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the provisional driver was stopped by police on Elizabeth St, Urangan, and returned a reading of 0.072.

Crumblin said she had been picking fruit in North Queensland and was now working as a cleaner for an NDIS provider.

She said she would not lose her job and that her boss would “work around it” while she was disqualified from driving.

Crumblin said she had “anxiety around driving” and had been on her provisional licence for seven years.

She said driving after a few drinks had been a “stupid decision”, adding that she hadn’t thought she would be over the limit, but she shouldn’t have drunk anything.

Crumblin had a previous conviction for drink driving, the court heard.

She was fined $500 and was disqualified from driving for three months.

Two crashes in 100m, almost 6 times the limit

A Fraser Coast woman who got behind the wheel when her blood alcohol content was almost six times the legal limit hit a parked car with a woman and child inside, then drove another 100m before crashing into a brick wall.

Stella Matthews, 37, pleaded guilty to drink driving and failing to stop and give particulars after the crash when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard during the first incident, Matthews hit a parked car on Watson St in Pialba, which had a woman and a young child inside.

The impact threw the woman sitting in the vehicle into the windshield.

About 30 seconds later, Matthews crashed into a brick wall on George St.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said Matthews was “clearly grossly impaired” when she got behind the wheel.

She was working at a plant nursery and was receiving counselling for her depression, anxiety and issues with alcohol, Matthews told the court.

Matthews was fined $400, placed on nine months probation and disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Ute driver crashes almost five times the limit

A drunk driver who crashed in wet weather after losing control on a roundabout in Hervey Bay had a simple explanation when police caught up with him, telling them: “I f----- up”.

Scott John Moon, 36, pleaded guilty to high range drink driving and failing to have proper control of the vehicle when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The crash happened at the intersection of Main St and Boat Harbour Drive about 11.20pm on May 9, 2022.

The court heard Moon lost control of his vehicle, a white Toyota ute, on a roundabout at the intersection of Main St and Boat Harbour Drive.

The car came to a stop on a centre median strip on Main St, it heard.

Moon returned a BAC of .247.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie told Moon he could have killed someone or himself through his actions.

Moon said he had been struggling that day after hearing a loved one had attempted suicide.

He had “tried to drown” his sorrows, he told the court.

But Moon said it was no excuse for what he had done.

Ms McGarvie said what Moon had done was “inherently dangerous” but acknowledged his genuine remorse.

He was fined $1600 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Carer pleads guilty to drug driving

A carer who tested positive to cannabis when she was stopped by police while driving in Hervey Bay told a court it was a “really stupid mistake”.

Kylie Joy Shepherd, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of drug driving when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard she was stopped by police on Torquay Rd on March 17 about 3.30pm when she returned the positive reading.

Shepherd was a single parent and also cared for her older brother, the court was told.

She was fined $350 and was disqualified from driving for a month.

Repeat drink driver busted

A woman who had four passengers in the car while she was over the limit had only just been dealt with for a drink driving charge in March 2022, a court has heard.

Tayla-Lee Elizabeth Reader, 22, pleaded guilty to drink driving when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard she was stopped by police on Hillyard St in Pialba about 1.20am on May 14.

She had four passengers in the vehicle when she was stopped, the court was told.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said Reader had only been dealt with in March for a drink driving charge.

“It seems the message hasn’t come through to you,” she said.

She said it was also concerning that there were passengers in the car at the time of the offence.

Reader told the court she needed her licence for work.

She said she was working at a pharmacy.

Reader said she was struggling with anxiety and severe depression.

She was fined $800 and was disqualified from driving for four months.

Electrician had two different drugs in system

An electrician busted with two different drugs in his system told the court he “relies heavily” on his licence for work.

Kim Andrew Moffett, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of drug driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.
The court heard he was stopped on Boat Harbour Drive about 10.40pm on March 17.

He tested positive for meth and cannabis, the court was told.

He had a previous conviction for similar offending.

Moffett told the court he was a single parent with two kids.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said it was a serious charge but acknowledged Moffett was working and contributing to the community.

He was fined $600 and was disqualified from driving for two months.

Business owner busted drink driving

A small-business owner who was caught driving under the influence has been allowed to hold a restricted licence.

Iliesa Manoa Mudu pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Mudu was stopped by police on Maheno Way in Pialba on May 1, about 2.30am.

He returned a reading of 0.106, the court heard, and was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time.

Mudu said he apologised for his actions, adding that he had “let his family down”.

The court heard Mudu ran his own business providing disability services and had no previous traffic history.

He was an allowed a restricted licence for work purposes and was disqualified from driving for four months.

Mudu was also fined $600.

P-plater on third drug driving offence

A provisional driver claimed he was “hassled to drive” the night he was caught drug driving.

Adam James Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of drug driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard when he was stopped by police on the Old Bruce Highway at Howard about 6.30pm on April 27, he returned a positive result for cannabis.

Fleming told the court he had been “hassled” to drive that night.

It was his third drug driving offence in the past five years, the court was told.

The court heard he was aged in his 40s and had suffered a brain injury in a crash when he was 19.

“I wasn’t supposed to walk again, so I’m doing okay,” Fleming told Magistrate Trinity McGarvie.

He was fined $900 and was disqualified from driving for six months.

Smoking ‘small amount’ of cannabis backfires

Having a “small amount” of cannabis the night before he drove turned out to be a bad idea for one man.

Sean Matthew Moffitt pleaded guilty to drug driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.

The court heard he had smoked a small amount of cannabis and when he was stopped by police, Moffitt did not expect it to still be in his system.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said cannabis was an illegal substance and Moffitt would have had no way of knowing how long it would remain in his system.

Moffitt was disqualified from driving for one month and he was fined $350.