Theresa Agnes Babcock in court for drink driving

A 77-year-old woman told a court she “thought she was capable of driving” when emergency services found her behind the wheel after a smash in Nambour. Read what happened.

A 77-year-old Rosemount woman was told to “put (her) car on blocks”, after she crashed into a parked car while almost five times the legal limit.

Theresa Agnes Babcock represented herself in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, September 5, 2022, where she pleaded guilty to driving under the influence on May 26.

The court heard emergency services were called to Petrie Creek Rd, Nambour, to reports of a crash into a number of parked cars just before 9pm.

All cars involved were written off, though Babcock’s vehicle was still drivable.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said there they found Babcock behind the wheel “slurring her speech and with half-shut eyes”.

Theresa Agnes Babcock blew nearly five times the limit. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“She said she’d had some wine during the evening,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

Babcock was so drunk she couldn’t give a breath test, and was taken to hospital for a blood test instead, the court heard.

Her BAC read was 0.248, nearly five times the limit.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard 77-year-old Theresa Agnes Babcock crashed into a number of parked cars at Nambour. Picture: Patrick Woods.

She told the court she spent the next couple of days in hospital, but “thought she was capable of driving”.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist politely told her to “put (her) car on blocks” and to “give the keys to someone else”.

“You might make a bad decision,” he said.

The court heard Babcock would receive help travelling by friends.

Babcock was fined $1050 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.