Mother of two Ursula Anne Romyn, 44, caught driving from Pacific Hotel carpark, Yeppoon, while .380 drunk

“You can literally die from that amount (of alcohol)”: A Central Queensland married mother of two has been slammed by a magistrate for her shocking drink driving reading. Here’s what happened on the night the woman was busted by the cops.

A married mother of two has lost her licence for the best part of two years after police caught her driving from a Central Queensland hotel carpark while .380 drunk.

Ursula Anne Romyn (maiden name), 44, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on May 5 to drink-driving and failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said about 1.10am on April 1, police were called to Queen Street, Yeppoon, to investigate reports of a “highly intoxicated” woman attempting to drive out of the Pacific Hotel carpark.

“As police drove towards the carpark, they saw a motor vehicle driving through the carpark towards the exit point,” Sgt Ongheen said.

“Police saw the vehicle stop on the footpath of Queen St, before reversing back into the carpark and doing a U-turn.

“Police turned into that carpark, pulled up to the vehicle, and saw (Romyn) - the driver and sole occupant.”

Sgt Ongheen said Romyn turned off the ignition and told police: “I haven’t driven anywhere.”

He said Romyn supplied a specimen of breath for a roadside test and the reading produced was .380.

Romyn was detained and taken to Yeppoon police station for a further test.

Sgt Ongheen said that at 1.47am, Romyn failed to supply a specimen of breath for analysis and she was issued with a notice to appear in court.

“She was given two opportunities to provide that breath for analysis on the approved breath analysing instrument,” Sgt Ongheen said.

“She failed to provide a sufficient sample of breath for analysis on both occasions.

“When advised about the failure, and that it may see her facing a charge, (Romyn) stated to police she would not provide police with a sample of breath as she had not driven and would not give police what they want.”

The court heard Romyn had no criminal nor traffic history.

Representing herself in court, Romyn said she was a mother of two children and she explained that she and her husband had been in the carpark of the venue on the morning of the incident.

She said both she and her husband worked full-time and they did not have family locally who could assist with their commitments around transporting their children.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale spoke about Romyn’s offending.

“Let alone getting in a car, you’re putting your life in danger at that reading,” Ms Beckinsale said.

Romyn replied that she was aware of that.

“But I’ve never done it before and clearly I will never do it again,” she told the magistrate.

“I actually don’t drink a lot at all. We have had significant stress just recently with certain things in our life, and we decided just to go out and have a few drinks that particular night.”

Ms Beckinsale then said to Romyn: “Do you know how high .380 is?”

Romyn replied: “I do.”

Ms Beckinsale added: “You can literally die from that amount (of alcohol).”

The magistrate described it as a “ridiculous reading” and said Romyn’s offending was compounded by her being uncooperative with police.

Ms Beckinsale fined Romyn $1500 and disqualified her from driving for 21 months.