Revealed: 16 Wide Bay drink drivers to face court
Driving while intoxicated is one of the most dangerous decisions an individual can make. Meet 16 of some of the worst offenders of Wide Bay who faced court for their crime. FULL LIST
Police & Courts
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Driving intoxicated is a high risk-taking decision which can change the circumstances of your life and others in the blink of an eye.
Police in Wide Bay have repeatedly pleaded with motorists to be more responsible on the roads with acting Superintendent Paul Algie claiming: “There is nothing more important than your safety and that of other road users, so slow down.”
“If you’re going to drink, please don’t drive.”
With 1,683 drink driving offences recorded across Wide Bay last year alone, it is clear not all residents are listening.
Meet some of the most serious offenders of our region who have endangered not only themselves but innocent bystanders by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Joseph Roy Bonnick - Fifth offence, almost six times over
“Deplorable,” Magistrate Trinity McGarvie
A Urangan carpenter somehow avoided actual jail time after being convicted of his fifth high range drink driving offence.
Joseph Roy Bonnick, 57, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.297 per cent.
At 7.50pm on December 7, 2023, Bonnick was driving his silver sports sedan when he was pulled over by police in Dayman Park, Urangan.
He was transferred to Hervey Bay police station where he undertook a blood-alcohol test which came back with a reading of 0.297, nearly six times the legal limit.
He admitted to police to having consumed six full standard beers over four hours before driving his vehicle.
This was the fifth time Bonnick had been caught high range drink driving, with previous readings of 0.235 in 2015, 0.249 in 2010, 0.237 in 2004 and 0.238 in 2002.
Duty lawyer Virginia Ukpabi said her client used to be a carpenter but due to a chronic back injury he had to give it up and was now on Jobseeker receiving $802.50 a fortnight.
Magistrate Trinity McGarvie described Bonnick’s behaviour as “deplorable” and said a hefty punishment must be handed out “as it is necessary to stop you give your troubling traffic history”.
Mrs McGarvie sentenced Bonnick to four months imprisonment, suspended for nine months.
He was also disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for 18 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Brendan James Mangan-Smith - Drunk driver killed mum of four
“Time will never heal this. Time won’t bring her back,” Victim impact statement from daughter of deceased
A heartbreaking testament to the life-changing consequences of drink driving was heard in Gympie District Court in August 2023, when a daughter told Conondale chef Brendan James Mangan-Smith of the trauma felt taking her mum off life support.
Maria-Christina Gevers died of injuries sustained when her car collided with Mangan-Smith’s Nissan Navara in the afternoon of June 1, 2012.
While a blood sample taken from Mangan-Smith, 36, four hours after the crash returned a BAC of 0.071, the court heard it could have been as high as 0.107 at the time of the crash.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Gevers’ 22-year-old daughter told Mangan-Smith: “I wish you could feel and understand our pain, but you never truly will”.
“To say this has destroyed us as a family, it has destroyed us individually,” she said.
“You didn’t just kill our mother and leave four kids as orphans, you took our happiness.
Mangan-Smith was jailed for four-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
He must serve 16 months before being released.
A conviction was recorded.
Katie Maree Harris, more than four times the legal limit
“Ms Harris cannot believe the decisions she made on that day,’ Lawyer
A Toogoom nurse admitted to police to being intoxicated behind the wheel was placed on probation and lost her license for a year when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.
Katie Maree Harris, 31, pleaded guilty to three charges including failure to stop private vehicle, driving a motor vehicle not fitted with prescribed interlock and driving UIL in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.
The court heard at 2.30pm on August 12, police located Harris driving in Toogoom after she had been reported missing.
The court heard they followed her into her driveway where she said “yeah I am drunk”.
She also admitted to the officers her Toyota Corolla did not have an interlock device on it, despite it being a condition of driving license.
A breath test was then undertaken which recorded a reading of 0.225, more than four times the legal limit.
Harris’s lawyer said “Ms Harris cannot believe the decisions she made on that day” and that she was remorseful for them.
They said she had a promising future ahead of her, with a Bachelor of Nursing degree completed in 2017, and that she was now doing a Bachelor of Education.
References from Way Back Support Services where Harris had been receiving treatment were proof of her effort to rehabilitate herself, her lawyer said.
She was supported by her mother in court.
Magistrate Stephen Guttridge placed her on 15 months probation for the high level drunk driving offence and disqualified her from driving for 12 months.
Convictions were recorded.
Warren Leigh Skelton, more than three times the limit
“That night I woke up in a strange place and thought I had been drugged and my personal belongings stolen,” Warren Skelton
A Cannonvale man who woke up in Airlie Beach believing he had been drugged and robbed has been fined $1000 for driving while more than three times the legal limit.
Warren Leigh Skelton pleaded guilty to drink drinking in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The court heard at 4.30am on September 11, Skelton drove to the Whitsundays Police Station in Cannonvale to report his phone and wallet had been stolen.
Upon his arrival, station officers could smell liquor on him and detained him for the purpose of a breath test, which revealed a blood alcohol of 0.171, more than three times the legal limit.
In a statement to the court Skelton, who represented himself, said: “I am truly sorry for my actions on that day and regret my decisions which culminate in me being here today.
“I had just broken up with my girlfriend and lost my job and was dealing with serious depression and anxiety.
“That night I woke up in a strange place and thought I had been drugged and my personal belongings stolen. I panicked and drove my car when I should not have.”
He was fined $1000 and suspended from driving for six months,
A conviction was recorded.
Nicole Lisa Thompson, eight times legal limit
“She needed alcohol just to get through the day,” lawyer
A cleaner who recorded an “extraordinary” BAC reading eight times the legal limit had an alcohol dependency due to the stress of her job, Hervey Magistrates Court heard in October.
Emergency services rushed to the scene of a single-vehicle crash in Torquay in July to find Nicole Lisa Thompson, 53, behind the wheel.
A mandatory blood test taken at Hervey Bay Hospital returned a reading of 0.372, a BAC which according to Queensland Health has adverse effects including coma and death.
Thompson’s lawyer told the court “the stress of her job as a cleaner had left her dependent on alcohol”, also saying she “needed alcohol just to get through the day” due to caring for a family member with leukaemia.
Magistrate Trinity McGarvie told Thompson her BAC reading was “extraordinary” and she was a “danger to the community”.
Thompson was sentenced to two months imprisonment, wholly suspended for six months, and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Thompson pleaded guilty to high range drink driving, and convictions were recorded.
Rahzel Tippo David Mason, teen more than three times the limit
“He very much regrets his actions on the day” lawyer
An aspiring boxer didn’t have a driver’s licence when he crashed his car with a blood-alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
Rahzel Tippo David Mason, 18, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday to three charges, including driving without a licence, driving under the influence and driving without due care and attention.
The court heard at 10.30am on June 4, 2023, Mason was driving along Denman’s Camp Rd, Scarness when he attempted to perform a U-turn which resulted in him colliding with the vehicle behind him.
A subsequent breath test performed by police officers returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.171.
Mason’s lawyer, Michael Riddell, told the court his client “very much regrets his actions on the day” and was “aware of the severity of the mistake he had made”.
Mason was supported in court by his father and others.
The court heard Mason was studying for a Diploma of Health and Fitness while excelling in boxing and hoped to become a Butchulla ranger on K’gari.
Magistrate John Milburn said Mason was “clearly a young man with a plan” but his offending was of a serious nature which was to be condemned.
Mason was fined $1000 and suspended from obtaining a licence for eight months.
Convictions were recorded.
Charlotte Florence Denson, supervising learner while four times over the limit
“Was giving less than ideal supervision” Magistrate
A woman who was drunk while supervising a learner driver was told by the magistrate she “was giving less than ideal supervision”.
After pulling over a vehicle driven by a learner driver with Charlotte Florence Denson, 41, in the passenger seat, police took a BAC reading of 0.267, Murgon Magistrates Court heard in June.
Slurring her words, Denson admitted to police she had consumed “a couple of bottles of fruit wine” before getting into the car.
Describing her case as “unusual”, magistrate Andrew Sinclair disqualified Denson from driving for six months and fined her $500.
Denson pleaded guilty to one count of being under the influence of liquor while in charge of a vehicle.
Convictions were recorded.
Paris Hawkins, four times over
“This is a completely inappropriate way to deal with grief,” Paris Hawkins
After getting stuck in a ditch while drink driving, a Maryborough man left his keys, phone and wallet in the car before being found by police in a nearby paddock.
Paris Hawkins pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Sonia Edwards said on September 4, 2023, about 5.20pm, police were patrolling Ann St in Maryborough when they saw a black Mitsubishi Lancer in a ditch.
The vehicle still had keys in the ignition and was unlocked.
Police collected a wallet and phone and secured the vehicle.
Sergeant Edwards said police located Hawkins walking in a nearby paddock visibly intoxicated.
He told the officers he didn’t crash the car but he was trying to carry out a U-turn when he ended up in the ditch.
Hawkins returned a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.234.
Sergeant Edwards said Hawkins had also been convicted of drink driving in 2021.
“This is a very high reading at a time when other people would be road users around the area,” she said.
The court heard Hawkins had faced tragedy in recent months when his nephew died by suicide.
At the time of his previous drink driving offence, his mother had died after he had been her carer for a number of years.
But he accepted drinking was a “completely inappropriate way for him to deal with his grief” and he had made an appointment with a trauma counsellor.
Magistrate John Milburn said a lack of Judgement had caused Hawkins to drive off the road.
He said it was encouraging to get a statement of remorse from Hawkins.
Hawkins was disqualified from driving from 12 months and fined $1100.
A conviction was recorded.
Nicholas Ryan Barkle, five unlicensed driving charges
“I’ve changed my life massively in the last couple of years,” Nicholas Barkle
The extensive criminal history and repeat offending of a soon-to-be dad was a factor in his sentencing at Murgon Magistrates Court.
Nicholas Ryan Barkle pleaded guilty to one count of mid-range drink driving and one count of driving without a licence.
Barkle was driving a car in Murgon on December 10, 2023 when he was pulled over by police.
It was discovered he didn’t hold a valid driver’s licence and a breath test returned a reading of .105.
Police prosecutor Barry Stevens told the court Barkle had five unlicensed driving charges in his history, one charge of driving while disqualified and previously received a suspended term of imprisonment for a separate offence.
Sergeant Stevens said Barkle’s last drink driving charge was a high reading of .207.
“He has five pages of history and has been given various parole and probation which he breached,” Sgt Stevens said.
“This is a person who’s making a choice of consuming an excess amount of alcohol and driving.”
Sgt Stevens told the court he didn’t think probation would be effective.
“With his history of breaching probation, I don’t believe that is viable,” he said.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said there were three options he was considering.
“It’s either going to be a very large fine, a period of probation or a suspended sentence, that’s what the options are,” Mr Sinclair told Barkle who replied he had changed his ways, and his partner was pregnant with their child.
“I’ve changed my life massively in the last couple of years,” he told the court.
Mr Sinclair placed Barkle on a period of probation for 18 months and disqualified him from driving for the same amount of time.
Jesse Dean Hewson, P-plater disqualified from driving for three months
“Eight weeks out of eye surgery” at the time, which was why his eyes were “bloodshot,” Jesse Hewson told police
A P-plater was busted drink driving after leaving a Maryborough hotel.
Jesse Dean Hewson pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court.
The court heard on August 4 at Cheapside St, Hewson was stopped by police and said he had just left the Lamington Hotel.
He was noticed to have “very bloodshot” eyes at the time, the court heard.
Hewson returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.09.
He had minimal traffic history and no criminal history, the court was told.
Hewson, who represented himself in court, told magistrate Stephen Guttridge he was “eight weeks out of eye surgery” at the time, which was why his eyes were bloodshot, and there were no drugs in his system.
Hewson was fined $500 and was disqualified from driving for three months.
A conviction was recorded.
Patricia Narelle Keep, grandmother four times over
Keep told the court she felt “ashamed and embarrassed” by her offending
A Gympie grandmother told police she had only drunk two glasses of wine before returning a BAC more than four times over the legal limit.
Gympie Magistrates Court heard Patricia Narelle Keep, 67, was tested by police after crashing her SUV while driving through Monkland, a suburb of Gympie.
Despite telling police she had only had a small amount of wine at the Bribie Island RSL, police told the court her statement was inconsistent with her “extraordinarily high reading”.
Keep told the court she felt “ashamed and embarrassed” by her offending, with the court hearing the grandmother of four suffered from anxiety and depression which caused her to binge drink, usually at home.
Magistrate Bevan Hughes told Keep it was “good luck that no one was injured”, and her actions could have had “tragic and irreversible consequences”.
Keep was disqualified from driving for 10 months and fined $1000.
The conviction was recorded.
Cody David Mossman, more than three times the limit on e-scooter
Mossman told the court he would have been too “drunk” to drive his car and the e-scooter was the best alternative.
A Pialba man who blew more than three times the legal limit has defended his decision to ride an electric scooter which he ended up crashing, and injuring himself, while intoxicated.
Cody David Mossman, 27, pleaded guilty to three charges including drink driving, public disturbance and failure to wear a helmet on Wednesday morning.
The court heard at 5:30am on September 2, 2023, police responded to reports of an incident involving an electric scooter on Beach Rd, Pialba.
Here they found Mossman on the ground next to the damaged scooter consuming a can of Jim Beam.
The officers then transported Mossman to Hervey Bay Hospital to receive treatment for cuts and abrasions suffered in the incident and to undertake a mandatory blood test.
The results of the blood tests showed his blood alcohol level to be 0.176, more than three times the legal limit.
The court heard while at the hospital Mossman used offensive language and acted aggressively towards staff.
He admitted to “causing a scene” but said it was because he was annoyed at himself and not other individuals.
Mossman was self-represented and defended his decision to ride the scooter.
He told the court he knew he would be too “drunk” to drive his car and the scooter was the best alternative.
He said he was the father of two children and worked as a gardener earning about $700 per week.
His license was suspended for six months as was fined $1300 which was referred to SPER for collection.
Convictions were recorded.
Dwayne David Hextall, double legal limit fourth offence for DUI
Hextall admitted to having “consumed a couple cans of CCs”
A Kawungan bricklayer found by police with an open can of Canadian Club in his car’s console was convicted of drink driving on Wednesday.
Dwayne David Hextall, 39, pleaded guilty to drink driving when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.
The court heard on September 1, 2023, Hextall was pulled into a roadside breath test unit by highway patrol officers on Woodgate Rd, Goodwood.
He admitted to having “consumed a couple cans of CCs” and when a breath test was conducted, he recorded a reading of 0.112, more than double the legal limit.
With two convictions in 2007 and one in 2022 it is the fourth time Hextall has been convicted of drink driving.
He told the court he was father of three children and a full-time bricklayer where he earnt about $640 per week.
His licence was suspended for four months and he was fined $850, which was sent to SPER for collection.
Convictions were recorded.
Kyran Matthews, evading police while over the limit
“He has gone through a lot … he knows what he’s done,” offender’s mother
A young Brisbane man sped through traffic lights while being pursued by police, lost control on the D’Aguilar Highway through roadworks and crashed his car into a ditch.
Kyran Ian Matthews, 20, pleaded guilty at Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Friday to drink driving, dangerous operation of a vehicle and evading police.
Police prosecutor Barry Stevens told the court Matthews was driving on Moore St in Kingaroy at “excessive speed” on October 29, 2023 about 6.50pm.
When police tried to stop him, he turned onto Fisher St and drove through a stop sign.
Once police caught up to him, they activated their lights and sirens before Matthews increased his speed and overtook a vehicle in front of him, the court heard.
Matthews was driving 50km over the speed limit at 100km/h in a 50km zone.
Police followed him onto Haly St, where he sped through a red light and police ended the pursuit, the court was told.
About 30 minutes later police were called to a single vehicle crash on the D’Aguilar Highway at road works in a 40km/h zone.
“Police could see on the gravel that the vehicle had lost control when approaching a slight turn, spun out and crossing into the oncoming lane before crashing into a ditch,” Sgt Stevens said.
The court heard there was also significant damage to the vehicle.
Police requested an ambulance for Matthews, however, he said he didn’t need one and had no signs of injury, the court heard.
Matthews had also been drinking and blew a reading of .087.
“He told police he was travelling back to Brisbane and wanted to get there as quickly as he could,” Sgt Stevens said.
Matthews was supported by his family at court with his mother speaking on his behalf.
“He has gone through a lot … he knows what he’s done,” she said.
Matthews had no prior criminal history and only one minor traffic infringement in his driving history.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair fined Matthews $7740, and disqualified him from driving for two years and nine months.
All convictions were recorded.
Jye Ian Taylor, banned from driving until 2028, unlicensed DUI
“Given his history of drink driving, imprisonment is within range,” prosecutor
A young Kingaroy man has been banned from driving until 2028 after being busted for the third time driving while drunk and disqualified.
Jye Ian Taylor, 20, pleaded guilty in Kingaroy Magistrate’s Court to driving under the influence and driving without a licence, disqualified by a court order.
Police prosecutor Lisa Manns said Taylor was stopped by police while driving on Walter Rd, Kingaroy at 12.15am on March 7, 2023.
“A breath test by police found a blood alcohol reading of 0.21.
“Given his history of drink driving, imprisonment is within range,” she said.
Defence lawyer Mark Werner said Taylor lived with his grandmother and needed support.
“He is educated to Year 9 and is currently on a youth disability payment as he was involved in an accident,” Mr Werner said.
“He was trying to become an apprentice mechanic but suffers from bipolar and schizophrenia.
“He sees a psychiatrist and did intoxicate himself that night. While he was drinking with mates he started having flashbacks and wanted to leave the situation,” he said.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said Taylor’s drink driving was just too dangerous and he was a danger to everyone.
“It is ultimately unacceptable to me,” Mr Sinclair said.
“You’re well capable of smashing into other vehicles or trees etc.
“It’s hard to believe your plan was to not drink and drive,” he said.
Taylor was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months for high range drink driving.
He was sentenced to one month imprisonment, suspended for 12 months for driving while disqualified by a court order.
Combined with his previous driving disqualification, Taylor was banned from driving until 2028.
Convictions were recorded.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Samantha Lee Kasapovic - Teen L -Plater mid range DUI
“I regret my actions on that night, I put everybody at risk with what I did,” Samantha Kasapovic
A learner driver busted driving unsupervised and with a blood-alcohol content of .127 per cent copped a hefty fine and had her licence suspended for four months.
Samantha Lee Kasapovic, 19, pleaded guilty to three charges in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Tuesday: Driving a motor vehicle while over the middle alcohol limit, driving a motor vehicle without displaying legible L-plates and not being properly supervised while on a learner’s licence.
Kasapovic admitted to the court to consuming beer and vodka at her home on December 8, 2023 before getting behind the wheel where shortly afterwards she pulled into a roadside breath test station on Boat Harbour Dr, Pialba.
Police at the test site noted Kasapovic was “hesitant” to pull into the testing centre, the court was told.
Her hesitancy was explained when they found she was the sole occupant of the vehicle despite holding a learner’s licence.
She was then breath tested and blew 0.127. Learner drivers must have a 0.00 per cent blood alcohol content to drive.
Apologising for her actions, Kasapovic told the court:
“I regret my actions on that night, I put everybody at risk with what I did.”
Recently obtaining her first job as a gardener at Fraser Shores Retirement Village in Urraween, Kasapovic told the court she earned about $1500 per week.
Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said while she had shown “remorse” the sentence placed upon her “needs to bring home the serious nature of the offending which has been committed”.
Kasapovic was fined her $1250 which was referred to SPER and her licence was suspended for four months.
No convictions were recorded.
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