Named: 14 drivers face Rockhampton Magistrates Court for traffic offences

One motorist nearly took out a police car travelling through a traffic light intersection in the early hours of the morning after having spotted a strange car parked in front of his former girlfriend’s residence. Read more here.

Motorists convicted in Rockhampton Magistrates Court recently of traffic related offences:

Ashleagh Rhys Haynes Breingan, 23, nearly took out a police car travelling through a traffic light intersection in the early hours of the morning after having spotted a strange car parked in front of his former girlfriend’s residence.

Ashleagh Rhys Haynes Breingan.

Haynes Breingan pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 16 to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe said police were patrolling on February 24 about 2.30am along Alexandra Street when they entered the Richardson Road traffic light intersection on a green light.

She said a black Jeep Wrangler drove through a red light from the Richardson Road direction, “narrowly missing” the police vehicle.

Senior Constable Rowe said the Jeep went on to run another red light before it pulled over for police.

She said the driver – Haynes Breingan – told police he had no reason for running the red lights, but thought that given the time of night, he would be OK to drive on through.

Defence lawyer Samantha Legrady said Haynes Breingan went to his boss at ProDyno Performance Tuning and Service the next day and explained what had happened and he was given time off work to go see someone.

“He had gone past his ex partner’s house,” Ms Legrady said.

“There was another car there.

“He wasn’t coping with his personal situation at the time.”

Magistrate Cameron Press said this offending was concerning as it wasn’t just one red light, but two.

“You could have changed your life here, and the lives of others, very quickly,” Mr Press said.

“It might have been fortunate they (police) were there … who knows what you would have done on this morning.”

Mr Press placed Haynes Breingan on 10-months’ probation and disqualified him from driving for nine months.

No criminal conviction was recorded.

Napolean Briggs, 28, was intercepted driving at the Kerrigan and Mason Streets intersection while his licence was suspended by the State Penalty Enforcement Registry (SPER) on March 1 about 2.10am.

His licence had been suspended on February 6.

Briggs’s partner and infant were in the car.

Briggs told police he was unaware of the suspension and he was driving in an attempt to soothe his restless infant.

The court heard Briggs was a subcontractor who laid and replaced rail tracks when needed.

He had a $1600 SPER debt.

Briggs was disqualified from driving for one month and fined $250.

Ronald Simon Thomas Henry, 28, had a blood-alcohol content reading of .187 when he was intercepted driving on William Street, Rockhampton, on March 5 about 11pm.

The court heard Henry, who works at the Heritage Hotel, had been drinking alcohol that afternoon.

He was disqualified from driving for nine months and fined $500.

Zach Lucas Welch-Cotter.

Zach Lucas Welch-Cotter was on a provisional licence when he was intercepted driving on East Street, Rockhampton, on January 22 at 10.45pm with a BAC of .021.

He told police he had consumed one stubby of rum.

He was disqualified from driving for three months and fined $400.

Jarrod Roy Muir had methamphetamines and marijuana in his system when he was intercepted driving a Toyota Hilux on Quay Street, Rockhampton, at 11.50pm on January 15.

He told the court he had been moving the car around the corner for a mate who only had a provisional licence and wasn’t allowed to drive after 11pm.

Muir said he had stopped using drugs since he started a new job in Gladstone.

He was disqualified from driving for three months and fined $450.

Kylie Patricia Shepherdson had a BAC of .144 when she was intercepted driving along Musgrave Street, Berserker, on January 22 about 6.40pm.

She told the court she had received a call saying her son was ill and was en route to him.

Shepherdson was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for four months.

Holly Eve Angeles had marijuana in her system when she drove while her licence was suspended by SPER on January 22 along Campbell Street, Rockhampton, about 5pm.

She told the court she had been informed of the suspension, which started on January 10, the day before.

Angeles said she was en route from Yeppoon to Mackay the day she was intercepted.

She was fined $650 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Nathan Michael Davis was intercepted riding a motorcycle on the Old Capricorn Highway at Gracemere on January 22, but only had a licence to drive cars.

He was fined $200 but was not disqualified from driving.

Peter Emmanuel Conomos.

Peter Emmanuel Conomos had marijuana in his system when he was intercepted riding a motorbike along Berserker Street about 6.45pm on January 22.

He told the court he was a full-time carer for his mother and was going through some hard times at the time of the intercept and had used marijuana to “take off the edge”.

He was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for two months.

Jade Louise Michael has been disqualified from driving for a further three years after she was busted driving while disqualified by court order on February 23 about 5.30pm on East Street, Rockhampton.

Jade Louise Michael.

She had been disqualified for two years in court on July 7, 2021, and told police she knew she had been disqualified.

Michael told the court on March 23 that she had chronic kidney disease and could not walk long distances.

She said she didn’t know the bus timetable and had been working, detailing cars, and “wasn’t thinking”.

Michael said she had since purchased an electric scooter to get around on and was trying to get a contract to do the detailing work at City Centre Plaza.

She repeatedly told the court she was sorry.

Michael, who had other entries for disqualified driving on her record, was placed on 18 months’ probation on top of the three-year disqualification period.

Michael John Moore had a provisional licence, after being on a work licence, when he was intercepted driving a grey Mazda 3 on Campbell Street, Rockhampton, at 12.05am on December 30.

His blood-alcohol content reading was .047 after consuming six 375ml cans of OP rum, having his last drink at 10.30pm.

“I thought I was on my opens,” Moore told Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 9 after pleading guilty to one count of drink-driving.

He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for four months.

Tyson James Beasely had his licence suspended by SPER when he was intercepted driving a gold Holden Commodore on Yeppoon Road about 4.20pm on January 13.

SPER had suspended his licence on December 27.

Magistrate Cameron Press disqualified Beasely from driving for one month and ordered he pay a $300 fine.

Robert James Sam had marijuana in his system when he was intercepted driving along Alexander Street, Wooroolin, on December 25, 2021 at 9.28am.

Sam pleaded guilty to the single drug-driving charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 3.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said Sam told police he had smoked marijuana a few days prior to being intercepted by police.

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

Khalil Micheal Andrew Waterton, 25, was unlicensed when he was intercepted driving along the Burnett Highway at Horse Creek on February 13 about 3.45pm.

Waterton pleaded guilty to the single unlicensed driving charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 3.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said checks revealed Waterton’s driver’s licence had been demerit-point suspended from November 17, 2021 to May 16, 2022.

Waterton’s solicitor said her client, who worked as a plant operator, was driving back to work and hadn’t checked his mail or emails for some time and didn’t realise his driver’s licence was demerit-point suspended.

Waterton was fined $450 and disqualified from driving for six months.