Drunk, drugged or unlicensed motorists face Rockhampton court

A school staff member, a single mum, a mining worker and an apprentice are among the latest group of people facing court for offending while behind the wheel.

Michaela May, Kelsie Addison Maclean (right) and Brodie Bergman were convicted for their driving offences in Rockhampton Magistrates Court between January 15-10, 2023.

Motorists convicted in Rockhampton Magistrates Court this week:

Michaela May, 39, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .201 when police intercepted her driving on Fitzroy Street in the early hours of the morning on November 27 after witnesses waved police down about a car driven erratically down the wrong side of the street and drifting across lanes.

May pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 17 to one count of high range drink driving.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said police had been waved down by witnesses about a car driving down the wrong side of the street.

He said police tracked down the vehicle, driven by May, and observed May struggling to keep the vehicle in between the lines and “drift across a number of lanes”.

Mr Fox said May continued driving despite police activating lights and sirens but police were able to intercept her when she pulled up at a set of lights.

Michaela May, 39, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .201 when police intercepted her driving on Fitzroy Street.

He said May told police she had been drinking at a Christmas party and she was driving to Gracemere.

Mr Fox said police observed many open alcohol cans in the car.

Defence lawyer David Abrey said his client, an educational assistant at a special needs school, had been at a work party.

“At around midnight, she recalls telling people she was going to get a taxi, she recalls using the app to call a taxi but then her memory is blank,” he said.

“She can’t recall driving.

“She can’t recall being intercepted by police.

“This is entirely out of character for her.”

May’s licence had been immediately suspended after her interception.

May was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for seven months.

A traffic conviction was not recorded.

Samantha Marrie Rogers, 36, had methamphetamines in her system when she was intercepted driving on Elphinstone Street, Berserker, on November 10 about 11am.

She held a provisional licence at the time.

Rogers admitted to police she had smoked ice days prior to the intercept.

The single parent has started counselling with Lives Lived Well along with parenting support with not-for-profit company Roseberry.

Rogers’s three-page traffic record included a prior drug driving conviction from September 2022.

Rogers was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for three months for the November offence.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Peter John Marshall, 56, had meth in his system when he was intercepted driving on Yaamba Road at 8.44pm on November 18.

Marshall’s defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said his client had consumed drugs four days prior after attended his niece’s funeral who had died in tragic circumstances.

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

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Brodie Thomas Bergman, 36.

Brodie Thomas Bergman, 36, was intercepted driving on Kunwarara Road, Kunwarara, at 2pm on December 20, 2022, and checks revealed his licence had been suspended by the State Penalties Enforcement Registry.

Bergman was unaware of the suspension.

He was fined $300 and disqualified from driving for one month.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Kelsie Addison Maclean, 26.

Kelsie Addison Maclean, 26, had meth in her system when she was intercepted driving on Graeme Acton Way, Wandal, at 10.30pm on September 23 while holding a provisional licence.

She told police she had smoked marijuana days prior.

Maclean, who works as a cleaner at the mines, was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Xavier Randal Weeks, 20, had meth in his system when he was intercepted driving on Exhibition Road, Wandal, on September 24.

He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Millie Magdalene Cunningham, 26, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .068 when she was intercepted driving along Moores Creek Road, Rockhampton, on December 2, 2022 at 9.28pm.

Cunningham pleaded guilty to the single drink driving charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 20.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said Cunningham had consumed three glasses of prosecco that evening.

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

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Nicholas Andrea Everingham, 20, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .129 when he was intercepted driving along East Street, Rockhampton, on December 4, 2022 at 3.16am.

Everingham pleaded guilty to the single drink driving charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 20.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said Everingham had a P2 provisional licence and told police he had consumed six or seven spirits that night.

Defence lawyer Allan Grant said his client had lost his job as an apprentice mechanic for a business in Rockhampton after losing his licence.

Mr Grant said his client had taken a taxi to a hotel with friends to drink alcohol that night but that morning one of his friends convinced him they were too drunk to drive and that he could drive them home.

“Peer pressure and the effects of alcohol led him to make a very sad decision,” he said.

Everingham was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Jayden Bowen, 19, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .026 when he was intercepted driving along the Bruce Highway at Parkhurst on December 27, 2022 at 6.09pm.

Bowen pleaded guilty to the single drink driving charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 20.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said Bowen had a P1 provisional licence and told police he had consumed a few drinks the night before, with his last drink at 5am.

Bowen was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.