NAMED: 10 drug drivers face Gympie court this week

From failing to realise the drugs were still in their system to alleging their drink had been spiked, 10 men and women were busted driving with drugs in their saliva and had to face the court on Thursday.

Dylan James Bouveng (top left), Brodie Lee Hutchinson (top right), Kym Janene Green (bottom left) and Rodney Adam Fletcher (bottom right) were four of ten drivers to front Gympie Magistrates Court for driving while a drug was present in their saliva on Thursday.

It was a busy day in the Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday, and magistrate Chris Callaghan’s first traffic court day since his return this week. Ten drivers pleaded guilty and were dealt with for driving while they had drugs in their system.

Brodie Lee Hutchinson, 30, was found with methamphetamine in her saliva when she was pulled over by police for a static breath test on April 11.

Hutchinson was driving on Exhibition Rd, Southside when she was pulled over, and was fined $150 by the court on Thursday and disqualified from driving for one month.

Dylan James Bouveng, 28, was on a provisional license when he was pulled over by police on Nash St on February 16.

He was found with traces of methamphetamine and cannabis in his saliva.

“I shouldn’t party, I suppose,” he said.

He was fined $300 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Rodney Adam Fletcher, 50, was driving home from work on May 31, when he was pulled over by police on the Mary Valley Rd at Southside.

Police found methamphetamine and cannabis in his system, despite Fletcher saying he was unaware the drugs were in his system.

He told the court he had been at a barbecue the weekend before he was pulled over, and admitted to having a joint there.

As for the methamphetamine, he alleged his drink may have been spiked.

He was fined $150 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Kym Janene Green, 59, was pulled over by police in Channon St, Gympie on April 11, where police found traces of methamphetamine in her saliva.

Green said she was unsure of how the drug was in her system, but admitted to accepting an unknown crushed substance in a panadol packet after suffering a headache.

She was fined $150 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Rade Trivanovic, 38, was in custody for other matters at the time of his appearance in the traffic court, where the court heard he was pulled over by police on April 1, while driving on Ramsey Rd, Southside.

Police found traces of methamphetamine and cannabis in his saliva, but Trivanovic denies any use of methamphetamine.

He was fined $150 and disqualified from driving for a month.

Krystal Benson, 33, was pulled over by police on April 9, while she was driving on Lawrence St, Gympie, where police found traces of methamphetamine and cannabis in her saliva.

She was fined $150 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Benjamin John Saxby, 43, was found with cannabis present in his saliva when he was pulled over by police while driving on Investigator Avenue on December 17, 2020.

He said he was extremely remorseful for his actions, and was granted a work licence by Mr Callaghan.

He was fined $250 and disqualified from driving for a month.

Armani Arielle St Clair, 46, was on parole when she was found with traces of cannabis in her saliva while driving on Pinewood Avenue on February 2.

She said she could not excuse her behaviour.

Mr Callaghan fined her $150 and she was disqualified from driving for three months.

Craig John Pool, 45, was found with traces of cannabis in his saliva when he was pulled over by police on March 21, after driving back from his son’s football game.

He was fined $150, and no conviction was recorded.

Ann Elizabeth Ronan, 60, was pulled over by police for a breath test in Tozer St, Gympie on April 26, where police found traces of cannabis in her saliva.

She admitted to having a joint the day before.

Ronan was fined $150 and disqualified from driving for one month.