Sunshine Coast, Noosa traffic court: 11 high range drink drivers sentenced

A wasted pool builder who crashed into a parked car and an apprentice who blew four times the limit are just two of the Sunshine Coast residents caught drink driving recently:

Every week a long list of drink drivers face Sunshine Coast courts for their choice to drive after consuming substantial amounts of alcohol.

In the Maroochydore Magistrates Court and Noosa Magistrates Court over the past month, 11 residents with high readings were forced to face the consequences for their actions.

From a 24-year-old who caused $8000 damage to her car to a tradie who crashed the company car into a bus stop, these are some of the Sunshine Coast’s recent drink drivers exposed.

Convicted

Warren James Yates

Warren James Yates, 60, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor in Noosa Magistrates Court on November 16.

The court heard the former mine worker had been intercepted in Noosa Heads on Banksia Place about 6.10pm.

Police subjected the Noosaville man to a breath test, where he returned a reading of 0.252.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $1400, and disqualified from driving for 13 months, with convictions recorded.

Malcolm Dean Carroll

Malcolm Carroll was caught driving under the influence of alcohol when he was driving at Tewantin on October 10, 2021.

Carroll pleaded guilty to the offence in Noosa Magistrates Court on November 23.

It was 5:08pm when he was pulled over by police and admitted to consuming beer and wine in recent hours.

He blew a BAC of 0.175, three and a half times the legal limit.

Carroll has a long history for drink driving and was fined $1000.

He was disqualified for two months and a conviction was recorded.

Deborah Oberon

An Oxford woman was caught driving under the influence on the Sunshine Coast on November 9, 2021.

Deborah Oberon, 54, pleaded guilty in Noosa Magistrates Court after she blew a BAC of 0.219.

Oberon was fined $1000 and disqualified for 10 months.

A conviction was recorded.

Matthew John Debenham

A 30-year-old Mapleton man faced court after he was intercepted due to erratic driving.

Police pulled Matthew John Debenham over on September 13 and noticed he had slurred speech and smelt of liquor.

Matthew Debenham.

He returned a BAC of 0.193.

The court heard Debenham runs a carpentry business.

He was given a $1300 fine, with a conviction recorded and was disqualified for six months.

Aimee Cunningham Crawford

A 24-year-old Tewantin woman who crashed her car on Eenie Creek Road near Noosa pleaded guilty to driving UIL in Noosa Magistrates Court.

Aimee Cunningham Crawford was breath tested after she crashed her vehicle on the evening of September 26, and caused $8000 damage to her car.

Police prosecutor Alison Johnstone said the 24-year-old returned a reading of 0.178.

Crawford pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $1000, and disqualified from driving for eight months.

A conviction was recorded.

Daniel Malcolm Ritchie

A tradie was so drunk a police officer said he seemed he was trying to find the street when he crashed his company car into a bus stop, a court has heard.

Daniel Malcolm Ritchie, 32, was fined $1500 and ordered to pay $1246 restitution for the bus stop in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Ritchie returned a blood-alcohol content of 0.305 per cent at a police station after his arrest on October 19 and was rushed to Nambour Hospital.

Police prosecutor David Hoffmann told the court it appeared Ritchie was lost and was trying to find a street while driving when he accelerated and ploughed into a bus stop in Mount Coolum.

Ritchie pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without due care and attention and was disqualified from driving for 13 months.

Convictions were recorded.

Gavin Reece Cobb

A 56-year-old Coolum Beach pool builder said there has been some embarrassment in his street after he crashed into a parked car while nearly four times the limit.

Gavin Reece Cobb had crashed into the stationary vehicle car on his street on the evening of November 6 after a night at the local bowls club.

Cobb later returned a reading of 0.198 per cent.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving and was disqualified from driving for 10 months and fined $1200.

Convictions were recorded.

Travis Michael O’Brien

A Rosemount man who was caught driving under the influence had been reported to police by concerned bar staff about his level of intoxication after he was seen driving away from the Waterfront Hotel in Diddillibah.

Travis Michael O’Brien, 28, had been drinking at the hotel when he was seen by staff driving a white Holden ute away from the venue at 8.30pm on November 13.

Police later stopped O’Brien on Paynters Creek Road, Rosemount, at 8.55pm, where he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.207 per cent.

The court heard O’Brien had stumbled onto the road after he got out of his vehicle and police observed his blood shot eyes.

O’Brien was convicted, fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

No convictions recorded

Matthew James Anderson

An 18-year-old apprentice pleaded guilty to driving under the influence after he had a minor accident on September 18.

Matthew James Anderson had been drinking at a friend’s birthday celebration before getting behind the wheel.

He crashed at Alexandra Headland at 1:15pm and was breath tested, returning a reading of 0.249.

The court heard Anderson worked as an airconditioning apprentice.

“I’m scared to death of what can and could have happened, never again will I get behind the wheel behind the influence,” Mr Anderson said.

He was fined $1400 and disqualified for 12 months.

A conviction was not recorded.

Kale Marc Matuka

A boozy midnight trip to the servo for ciggies by a 33-year-old Palmwoods man after downing multiple beers has proven to be a costly exercise.

Kale Marc Matuka was seen by police near a Toyota Corolla

outside a 7/11 in Woombye about midnight on October 17 after purchasing some items.

The 33-year-old was breath-tested and returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.181 per cent which was more than three times the limit.

Matuka pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for six months.

No conviction was recorded.

Taylah Jade Heighway

A teenage driver was lucky to escape her own drunken crash after she rocketed into two parked cars in Peregian Beach while more than three times the limit.

Taylah Jade Heighway, 19, was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for six months after her crash on David Low Way on August 30.

Taylah Jade Heighway. Picture: Facebook

The court heard the Maroochydore woman failed to negotiate a bend about 11.30pm and smashed into two parked cars.

Senior Constable Burrell said Heighway was taken to hospital after the incident where she returned a BAC reading of 0.177 per cent.

The teenage barista pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without due care and had no convictions recorded.