Gympie drink drivers with high readings punished in court in 2021
From plowing through a paddock without touching the brakes, to having to be cut from a wreckage after hitting a tree, these drivers pleaded guilty in Gympie Courts to drink driving and felt the full force of the law for their actions.
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Drink-driving is one of the most dangerous acts a person can commit behind the wheel, with an average of 50 people killed and more than 550 seriously injured on Queensland roads as a result each year.
These Gympie region drink drivers were caught driving while at least more than three times the legal limit, and have lived to tell the dangerous tale.
Dean James Power, blew more than five times the limit
Gympie man Dean James Power, 43, plowed his car through a paddock after he missed a turn at Tuchekoi in July, 2020.
Power pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court to driving without due care and attention and while under the influence of alcohol on June 3.
The court heard Power missed a turn at the intersection of Kenilworth Skyring Creek Rd and Tuchekoi Rd, and without braking plowed his car through a paddock before coming to a rest 60m from the road.
When police arrived at the scene, a blood sample was taken to test Power’s blood-alcohol level, which read 0.251, more than five times the legal limit.
Power was placed on probation for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for the same amount of time.
A conviction was recorded.
Joseph Thomas Bell, blew more than four times the limit
Gympie man Joseph Thomas Bell, 20, escaped with his life after the car he was driving slammed into a tree at Imbil in April.
Bell pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court to drink-driving on July 2, where the court heard he blew 0.220, more than four times the legal limit.
The court heard he was driving home one night when his car slammed into a tree, and had to be cut from the wreckage.
Amazingly, Bell only suffered a broken nose from the crash.
He was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Peter Kenton Smith, blew more than twice and three times the limit
Sunshine Coast Council worker Peter Kenton Smith, 53, was caught drink-driving twice in one day after he crashed into his own car parked on the side of the road.
Smith pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court to drink-driving, driving while suspended and driving under the influence on July 15.
Police pulled Smith over while he was driving home on April 30, where he blew 0.132, more than twice the legal limit, and had his licence taken off him.
Later that same day, police were called to a crash at Pomona, where they once again found Smith behind the wheel of a car and he blew 0.184, more than three times the legal limit.
He was fined $2200 and disqualified from driving for two years.
A conviction was recorded.
Anthony John Towells, blew more than three times the limit
Truck driver Anthony John Towells, 53, was involved in a crash with a rental removal truck in April, after the driver attempted to overtake his truck.
Towells pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court to drink-driving on May 20, after he blew 0.173, more than three times the legal limit.
He was fined $1300 and disqualified from driving for 13 months.
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