Drink or drug drivers named after facing Roma Magistrates Court

The latest round of drink or drug drivers have faced Roma Magistrates Court for their dangerous booze and drug fuelled behaviour. Full list here.

Latest round of drink or drug driver's who appeared in Roma Magistrates Court.

A number of people have appeared in Roma Magistrates Court for drink or drug driving offences, including:

• A Maranoa Regional Council worker who was caught drink driving nearly three times over the legal limit has fronted Roma Magistrates Court.

Boyd William Burns pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving when leaving his parent’s Surat house on January 7 at 11.05pm.

The court heard that when police intercepted Burns’ vehicle for a breath test which came back positive, he was taken back to Roma police station for further testing.

A breath analysis revealed Burns was driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .145.

He told police he had consumed a whole bottle of Bundaberg rum between 4pm and 10.30pm before jumping behind the wheel.

“You’re actually not far off high-range drink driving,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.

“I do note you’ve got some assistance in relation to drinking, and that’s to your credit.”

Burns was given a $500 fine and a 4 month driving disqualification.

A conviction was recorded.

• The father of a seven-week-old baby was caught drug driving while on a probationary licence after a wild night of partying.

Michael James Ries, 45, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.

Police prosecutions told the court Ries was intercepted on Queen St, Roma on September 24 at about 12.30pm for a roadside breath test.

The sawmill worker denied consuming any illicit drugs; however, results showed traces of methamphetamine and cannabis.

The defendant said he was at a party and consumed a few drinks and illicit drugs, but believed it would’ve been out of his system.

“If you want to use drugs, it’s illegal to start with, don’t drive,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.

Ries was handed a $600 fine and disqualified from driving for three months.

A conviction was recorded.

• A 44-year-old man whose doctor allegedly prescribed him medicinal cannabis was caught drug driving on the Carnarvon Highway in Roma.

Kai August Hurzlmeier pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to driving with cannabis and methamphetamine in his system on two occasions.

On two dates in November 2022, a blue Holden Commodore driven by Hurzlmeier was stopped by Roma police for drug tests.

Both times the defendant denied taking illicit drugs, but tests came back positive for cannabis and methamphetamine in both instances.

Hurzlmeier, who suffers from long term depression, anxiety and trauma, said he was prescribed cannabis by a local GP.

Magistrate Shane Elliott fined him $850 for both offences and disqualified him from driving for a total of nine months.

A conviction was recorded.

• A father-of-two has landed in Roma Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to drink driving after he miscalculated his blood alcohol level.

Police intercepted a Ford Ranger for a licence check and breath test on September 8 at 3.55am.

However, when police detected alcohol on Timothy James Bruton’s breath he admitted to police he had been drinking between 4pm and 7.30pm that night.

Bruton was taken back to the police station and a breath analysis revealed a blood alcohol concentation of .062, and in court pleaded guilty to driving while over the general alcohol limit.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said Bruton had “obviously miscalculated” in this instance.

“In future it’s best to just not drive after you’ve had a lot to drink,” he said.

“On this occasion if you had waited another hour you probably would’ve been under, but that’s the nature of trying to guess.”

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

A conviction was recorded.

• Daniel-James Nyman, 27, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving on Arthur St, Roma on November 19.

Nyman told police he had taken medicinal cannabis a couple of days earlier when police intercepted the Holden Commodore he was driving.

Despite initially telling police he had only taken medicinal cannabis, he later admitted to taking methamphetamine two days earlier as well, after drug analysis findings indicated the presence of the two drugs.

Nyman was given a 12 month probation order and disqualified from driving for three months.

A conviction was recorded.

• Kieren Maree Coulahan pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to low-range drink driving.

Coulahan told police she had finished a couple of Canadian Clubs half an hour earlier when police pulled her over at about 1.40pm on December 16, the court was told.

Coulahan was taken back to the Roma police station where a breath analysis came back with a BAC reading of .076.

“You have some history but it’s quite dated,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.

Coulahan was given a $400 fine and disqualified from driving for six weeks.

A conviction was recorded.

• A St George man has been caught drink driving in Roma despite his parole condition requiring him to abide by a zero-alcohol limit.

Alexander James Cochrane pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates to drink driving after police detected alcohol on his breath during a licence check.

At 10.45am on November 19, Roma police intercepted a white Holden Commodore on Feather St, Roma.

He was detained at the police station where breath analysis results revealed he had a reading of .069.

Cochrane told police he had consumed 1L of rum mixed with coke at a friend’s house in Wallumbilla between 1pm and midnight the previous night.

He was given a $350 fine and a one month disqualification from driving.

A conviction was recorded.

No conviction recorded:

A Charleville woman has pleaded guilty to drink driving after she was caught over the limit when travelling home from the Roma Cup last year.

Police intercepted a Toyota Prado driven by Brittany Louise Caithness on Raglan St, Roma at about 10am on November 20.

Caithness was breath tested and had a BAC of .051, Roma Magistrates Court was told.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Trembath said his client was drinking Lazy Bear rum and dry the night before and she felt fine to drive the next morning.

“This is out of character and she is remorseful,” Mr Trembath said.

“She had only eaten a hashbrown that morning.”

Magistrate Shane Elliott said he acknowledged how low the reading was and therefore handed Caitness a $100 fine and the minimum one month driving disqualification.

No conviction was recorded.