10 drunk drivers who shocked Central Qld in 2022
This year has seen some mind-blowing drink-driving cases in Central Queensland, with the fatal five message failing to deter offenders. See the full list.
Police & Courts
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This year there have been some shocking drink-driving incidents on Central Queensland roads, with the fatal five message failing to deter some from taking risks on the roads.
Some of those busted include a pensioner hanging out the rear window of his vehicle after crashing it, a mother caught drink-driving for the 10th time, a woman with a “ridiculous reading” more than seven times the legal limit, and on-duty taxi driver caught high-range drink-driving with a passenger in the vehicle.
Here are the cases that made headlines in 2022.
January
Robert George Elliott, 67
On January 13, Robert George Elliott faced Yeppoon Magistrates Court where his shocking drink-driving story emerged.
The court heard that the pensioner was lucky to be alive after he got drunk at the Keppel Sands pub and foolishly tried to drive home via Emu Park.
Elliot crashed his car on Tungamull Road on October 9, 2021, and when police arrived on scene, they saw the vehicle on its side with the tray pressed against a large tree.
Officers also observed Elliot, the driver, “hanging out the rear window of the vehicle” with a serious head injury and Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics working on him.
Elliott was taken to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition and later placed into an induced coma.
Police required a blood specimen to be taken from Elliott and a blood alcohol concentration of 0.206 was later recorded.
In court he was fined $1400 and disqualified from driving for 14 months.
Read the full story HERE.
March
Stephen David Murphy, 27
Stephen David Murphy was drunk when he rolled his car at Barmaryee on March 14.
The vehicle was in an upright position when it stopped rolling and Murphy continued driving despite the windscreen being shattered.
Murphy drove on the wrong side of the road, almost colliding with another vehicle, and caused another motorist to take evasive action.
He then crashed the vehicle again.
When police arrived, an officer presented their taser as Murphy ignored requests to get on the ground and continued advancing towards the officer.
Murphy grabbed the officer’s wrist and headbutted them.
Murphy returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.192.
He spent 21 days in pre-sentence custody, had a suspended sentence activated, and was given a parole release date.
He was also placed on two years’ probation and disqualified from driving for 15 months.
Read the full story HERE.
Danielle Andrea Lawford, 41
About 1.15pm on March 14, Capricorn Coast mother Danielle Andrea Lawford was caught on Yeppoon’s Ben Street committing her 10th drink-driving offence.
Magistrate Jason Schubert told the woman, whose BAC was 0.081, “people like you shouldn’t be on our roads”.
“You’re not going to jail today by the skin of your teeth,” Mr Schubert added, before placing Lawford on probation for nine months.
Read the full story HERE.
April
Ursula Anne Romyn, 44
About 1.10am on April 1, married mother of two Ursula Anne Romyn was caught driving from Pacific Hotel carpark, Yeppoon, while almost four times the legal limit.
The court heard police were called to Queen Street to investigate reports of a “highly intoxicated” woman attempting to drive out of the carpark.
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale described Romyn’s BAC of 0.380 as a “ridiculous reading”.
Romyn was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for 21 months.
Read the full story HERE.
Stephen Sean Simmonson, 45
On April 11, Stephen Sean Simmonson was almost five times the legal limit when he crashed his car into trees while driving to work at Yeppoon.
Yeppoon police officers were called to the single-vehicle crash on Greenlake Road at 5.40am.
He recorded a BAC of 0.241
A solicitor said Simmonson had previously worked for more than a decade as a driver for Australia Post so was “well aware of his driving obligations with respect to drink driving”.
Simmonson was fined $1700 and disqualified from driving for 15 months.
Read the full story HERE.
June
Paul Page Taylor, 57
On-duty taxi driver Paul Page Taylor was busted at more than three times the legal limit with a passenger in the vehicle.
Taylor was driving a taxi for Black and White Cabs when he was stopped about 1.40am on June 5 by police patrolling Yeppoon Road.
The court heard that prior to the intercept, police received information about an intoxicated taxi driver on duty in Yeppoon.
Taylor returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.169.
He was fined $1100 and disqualified from driving for 10 months.
Read the full story HERE.
July
Tiffany-May Louise Fox, 26
Drink driver Tiffany-May Louise Fox crashed her car into a beachside gazebo at Yeppoon about 10.45pm on July 4.
The 26-year-old then fled the scene of the Farnborough Road crash on foot.
“(Fox) has driven without due care and left the road, ploughed through the bollards (and) hit a gazebo which had two little picnic tables housed underneath it,” Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said.
“The car has destroyed the gazebo and the tables.
“Her car has continued into another table, spinning the car, with its rear destroying a wire fence which protects the sand dunes.
“In the process, trees, gardens and water mains have all been damaged and destroyed.
“The car came to a stop with its rear hanging over the sand dunes.”
Fox was later found and recorded a BAC of 0.110.
Livingstone Shire Council originally sought $32,706.48 restitution for the damage caused but that was later discontinued.
Fox was fined $1550 and disqualified from driving for four months.
Read the full story HERE.
October
Dylan James Murtagh, 19
P-plater Dylan James Murtagh, 19, was “highly intoxicated” when he crashed his ute into a fence late at night at Yeppoon.
Police attended the Bowls Street crash on October 3 at 12.10am and saw Murtagh running into nearby bushland.
After being apprehended, Murtagh was put into the back of a police vehicle where he vomited blue vodka.
Murtagh pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving without due care and attention, driving when not permitted, and not having a required P-plate attached.
His matters proceeded despite a blood analysis certificate not being ready for the prosecution to produce.
Acting magistrate Ron Muirhead noted that Murtagh would have had “a very high” blood alcohol reading.
Murtagh was fined $1200, placed on 12 months’ probation, disqualified from driving for 17 months, and ordered to pay $1552.98 restitution for the fence.
Read the full story HERE.
Raelene Norma Drought, 50
Raelene Norma Drought was busted driving while a jaw-dropping five times the limit but then got even drunker and drove again hours later.
Drought was caught drink-driving at Taroomball the first time on October 7 with a BAC of 0.231.
Her driver’s licence was immediately suspended.
Five hours later police caught her driving again on James Street, Yeppoon, where she returned an even higher blood alcohol reading of 0.248.
Drought was placed on six months’ probation and banned from driving for three years.
Read the full story HERE.
November
Samuel Kenneth Dowling, 30
Samuel Kenneth Dowling was drinking a vodka can while driving late at night in Yeppoon.
He had already downed about six UDLs when police caught him behind the wheel at 11.35pm at Barlow’s Hill.
The repeat drink driver returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.111.
He was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for five months.
Read the full story HERE.
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