Debra Lee Anstey drove dangerously towards road workers while drunk behind the wheel, court hears
A Coast woman who almost hit road workers with her car has since worked hard to educate herself about the dangers of drink driving and hoped others will too.
Police & Courts
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A Coast woman who forced traffic controllers to move out of the way of her oncoming car as she swerved into a closed section of the road while drink driving has been sentenced.
Debra Lee Anstey, 62, pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, June 8, to driving under the influence and dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
The court heard Anstey had been driving along Old Maroochydore Road, Forest Glen when she drove through a red light to avoid a head on collision.
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Police prosecutor Mark Burrell said Anstey had then continued to swerve over double white lines and into a section of closed road where traffic workers were standing, forcing them to quickly move to avoid getting hit by the oncoming car.
Anstey pulled her car over and later recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.216 when police attended the scene.
“(Anstey) was grossly affected unable to walk from the vehicle unaided,” Senior Constable Burrell said.
Anstey has since been campaigning to make road safety and education programs free and accessible for mature drivers.
Her solicitor, Belinda Robinson, said the mature aged woman had been “active in charity work” and had the night of the incident been selling raffle tickets at a restaurant.
Ms Robinson said Anstey had supplied multiple references and apology letters to the court, detailing her remorse and how family breakdowns had resulted in her behaviour.
Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said he accepted Anstey’s remorse and considering she didn’t have a criminal history also indicated something had been “a trigger” for her to act in such a way.
“On first blush and there after you were a person of always good character,” Mr Stjernqvist said.
“The apology letters and reference material all attest to a significant dose of remorse to what occurred on that day.”
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Anstey was convicted and sentenced to 12-month imprisonment, which will be served concurrently as a wholly suspended for two years from June 8.
She was also fined $800 and disqualified from driving for a total of 20 months for the two offences, which was backdated two months since she lost her license following the incident.
Originally published as Debra Lee Anstey drove dangerously towards road workers while drunk behind the wheel, court hears
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