Busted: Warwick’s latest drink/drug driver offenders exposed

A driver who smoked drugs and then let a child sit on his lap and steer while another stood up in the vehicle is just one of the latest offenders sentenced for getting behind the wheel with drugs or alcohol in their system. See the full list:

Warwick Magistrates Court has again been flooded by drivers who continue to flout road rules and risk lives on the road by driving with drugs and alcohol in their systems.

Here is the latest round of offenders to be sentenced:

A repeat offender who was under the influence of marijuana when he let a child sit on his lap and steer while another stood up in the car told police he made the dangerous decision because the child wanted to.

The man was pulled over on February 27, where officers noticed he appeared to be under the influence of a drug.

The driver, who the court heard had three drug driving convictions in the past six years, admitted to smoking marijuana and gave police a pipe from his pocket. A search of the vehicle also located a grinder.
Magistrate Julian Noud told the man that having the children in the vehicle was “concerning”.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of a drug and was sentenced to nine months’ probation, and disqualified from driving for 10 months.

Zachary Fiechtner

A truck driver with a history of “disregard for traffic rules” has been warned he was lucky he didn’t kill himself or someone else, after rolling his vehicle while three times the legal limit.

Zachary Fiechtner pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after the shocking incident, which saw him taken to hospital and his vehicle severely damaged and crashed into a culvert.

Tests showed he had a BAC of 0.15.

Mr Noud chastised the mine supervisor for his dangerous decision to drink while drunk.

“You’re lucky, Mr Fiechtner, that you didn’t injure or kill yourself or someone else,” he said.

“The road toll that we see through court and reported through the press is just tragic, and those who commit these offences place themselves and others at risk.”

The 32-year-old was fined $1050 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Peter Wayne Camac

Peter Camac.

A 65-year-old Warwick man was busted driving with ice in his system twice in less than two weeks, bringing his drug driving convictions to a whopping five in the past five years.

Peter Wayne Camac was first busted on Dragon St on Australia Day, before being again nabbed with meth in his system while driving along Fitzroy St on February 4.

Lawyer Amber Acreman told the court that although her client had a long history of similar offending, it had been two years since his last drug driving offence.

Camac was fined $1850 and disqualified from driving for 13 months.

Kane Wightman

A Warwick father said he has made a conscious effort to keep himself on the right side of the law, despite being busted drug driving.

Kane Wightman was stopped by police on Briggs St on January 16, where he was found to have marijuana in his system.

The cabinetmaker told the court he had previously found himself in trouble with the law but he had worked hard to “pull himself together and keep myself on the straight and narrow”.

The 24-year-old was fined $350 and disqualified for one month.

Michael Joseph Gosen

A couple of cheeky beers with dinner have proven costly for one driver, who was more than twice the legal limit when police stopped him.

Michael Joseph Gosen, 51, told the Warwick court he had beers with dinner at the Killarney Bowls Club before attempting to drive home about 9.30pm on January 25.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $850.

No conviction recorded

Alec Russell Stevens, Nicholas Allen Stevens

Two brothers were both busted drinking on the same night with the exact same reading after separate RBT stops on a quiet Karara road.

Alec Russell Stevens, 27, and Nicholas Allen Stevens, 23, were both stopped on Stonehenge Rd on February 26 and each recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.073.

The brothers’ lawyer told the court it was simply a strange coincidence, with police prosecutor Steve de Lissa saying he had never come across such an peculiar result.

Each of the brothers pleaded guilty to drink driving, and were fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

No convictions were recorded.

Pierce Vaughan Dawson

A Brisbane labourer will be off the road for the next eight months, after being busted driving drunk in Allora.

Pierce Vaughan Dawson was stopped by police on Warwick St where he returned a BAC of 0.15.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving and was also fined $1000.

No conviction was recorded.

Thomas John Parry

Misjudging his drive home after a night out with friends landed a young man before the Warwick court.

Thomas John Parry first caught police attention while on the New England Highway at Allora when officers noticed the front number plate falling off his vehicle.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said officers then smelled alcohol on the 21-year-old’s breath and he then recorded a BAC of 0.053 at the scene.

The Warwick court was told Parry had been out drinking with friends the night before and slept at someone’s house to avoid driving home that night, and was unaware he would still be over the limit the next morning.

Parry pleaded guilty to drink driving, and was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

No conviction was recorded.

Emily Katelyn Harm

Emily Katelyn Harm was taken off the roads for three months after she was nabbed behind the wheel over the alcohol limit.

The P-plater was pulled over on Yangan Rd in Warwick in February, where she recorded a BAC of 0.027.

The Warwick court was told this was the 20-year-old’s first time before a magistrate as she had no traffic or criminal record.

Harm pleaded guilty to drink driving and was also fined $350. No conviction was recorded.

Gordon Craig Lovett 

A Vietnam veteran has fronted court after being nabbed driving while more than twice the legal limit.
Gordon Craig Lovett was stopped on Wood St on February 18, where he returned a BAC of 0.116.

The 75-year-old pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $750 and disqualified from driving for six months.

No conviction was recorded.