Man busted drunk, passed-out in car on Stanthorpe road fronted court

A 43yo was nearly four times the legal alcohol limit when police found him asleep in his car, and was just one of the people sentenced in Stanthorpe Magistrates Court.

Police found a 43-year-old man drunk and passed-out in his car on a busy Stanthorpe road. Photo: iStock

A 43-year-old was busted by police for being drunk and passed-out in his car on a busy Stanthorpe road, while an unlicensed P-plater was caught drink driving on the New England Highway.

These two were just some of the people sentenced in Stanthorpe Magistrates Court for drink or drug driving.

Aaron Stewart Cooper was found sleeping in his car on Lock Street while intoxicated.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said police found the 43-year-old “slumped” in the driver’s seat of his car on May 27, with the keys on the console next to him.

Cooper had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.171.

The self-represented Cooper said he slept in his car as he was unable to get accommodation in Stanthorpe.

Cooper pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of liquor.

The Toogoolawah man was fined $950 and disqualified from driving for 10 months.

A 24-year-old man was busted drug driving on High Street at 4.20pm on November 28.

The self-represented Lachlan John Angus argued that he had been drinking and smoking at a Stanthorpe pub the night before and “didn’t realise” the marijuana was still present in his system.

The Gold Coast man pleaded guilty to drug driving.

He was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for three months.

A P-plater was caught drink driving on the New England Highway just before midnight on June 1.

Bailey James Dando recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.068.

Dando is required to have zero alcohol in his system.

The self-represented 19-year-old said he was “stressed about job issues” and that led him to drink drive.

The Stanthorpe man pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

No conviction was recorded.

Doug Anthony Birthisel was caught drink driving on Stabiles Road at 4.30pm on March 25 while unlicensed.

The Glen Aplin man recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.068.

The self-represented 30-year-old said he had “a couple of extra beers” with his father that day and knew he “shouldn’t have”.

Birthisel pleaded guilty to drink driving while unlicensed.

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

P-plater Zelma-May Joyce Rose O’Connor had a “heavy night drinking” before she was caught by police with alcohol in her system at 3pm on February 17 on Wallangarra Road.

She recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.035.

As a P-plater, O’Connor is required to have zero alcohol in her system.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman said the woman thought she was “right to drive” after a heavy night drinking.

Mr Chapman said O’Connor had 20 glasses of vodka lemonade the night before and it was “remarkable” that she was even “functional”.

The New South Wales woman pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

No conviction was recorded.