Damien O’Connor in Caloundra court for drink driving on Bruce Highway

A qualified builder blew four times the legal alcohol limit after he was seen swerving across lanes on the Bruce Highway and swiping a metal guard rail. Find out why:

A Sunshine Coast qualified builder and father of two has blamed a marriage breakdown for his drunken drive where he drove “erratically” and blew four times the legal alcohol limit, a court has heard.

Damien O’Connor, 40, was disqualified for nine months and fined $1200 after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol in Caloundra Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Police prosecutor Stuart Lydford said police received reports of a ute with a trailer driving “erratically” on the Bruce Highway near Eumundi at 11am on March 25, 2022.

“He conducted a number of lane changes that caused other vehicles to take evasive action,” Sergeant Lydford said.

“The vehicle sideswiped a metal guard rail and several white roadside traffic markers … it mounted a grass kerb as it turned into a crescent.”

A Sunshine Coast qualified builder and father-of-two blew four times the limit after he was seen driving dangerously on the Bruce Highway, causing other cars to take evasive action.

The informant followed O’Connor for half an hour and reported his final location to police.

Police knocked on O’Connor’s door and could see he was under the influence of alcohol.

O’Connor blew a reading of 0.202, four times the legal limit, after driving from where he was working in Gympie.

Sergeant Lydford said O’Connor told police he was emotionally distraught after a marriage breakdown and had consumed four glasses of wine from 8am to 10am.

Duty lawyer David Crews said his client worked as a qualified builder doing insurance works from Gympie to Brisbane

“Because of his employment he can’t work as a carpenter until he gets his licence back so he may have to employ a driver or an apprentice,” Mr Crews said.

Magistrate Catherine Benson said the reading was “extremely high” and fined the father $1200.

“You are fortunate you did not cause any damage to yourself or other drivers,” Ms Benson said.