Drink and drug driving sentences from Proserpine and Bowen Magistrates Court

Here’s who appeared in Proserpine and Bowen courts this week on drink and drug driving charges.

Morgan Windridge Ryan, left, and Esko Auda were sentenced over separate drink and drug driving incidents in Bowen. Photos: Facebook.

Your round-up of drink and drug drivers sentenced in Proserpine and Bowen Magistrates courts on Monday, May 10 and Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

1. Gavin Keith Price appeared at Proserpine Magistrates Court, pleading guilty to drink-driving on Wrights Road, Strathdickie on April 25.

The court heard a member of the public contacted police about 9.30pm when they observed Price’s vehicle driving onto private property, before stopping in the middle of the road with its lights turned off.

Police attended and observed the vehicle had a flat tyre, and that the driver appeared to be intoxicated.

He had a 0.109 blood alcohol content.

Price told police he had consumed an unknown number of Great Northern beers before driving that night.

He said he knew he was over the legal limit but “wanted to get away” after having an argument with a friend.

Magistrate Ron Muirhead disqualified Price’s licence for four months, imposed a $750 fine, and recorded a conviction.

Paul Stanwix pleaded guilty to drug driving. Photo: Facebook.

2. Paul Stanwix appeared at Proserpine Magistrates Court, pleading guilty to drug-driving on Fuljames Street, Proserpine, on March 11.

The court heard police intercepted Stanwix’s vehicle about 1.40pm and administered a roadside drug test, which returned a positive result.

Stanwix told police he had “smoked some meth a few days ago”.

Analysis confirmed the presence of methylamphetamine in his saliva.

He pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in his blood or saliva.

Magistrate Ron Muirhead disqualified Stanwix’s licence for two months, imposed a $600 fine, and recorded a conviction.

Olga Diel had her licence disqualified for nine months. Photo: Facebook.

3. Olga Diel appeared at Bowen Magistrates Court, pleading guilty to drink-driving on Crofton Street, Bowen, on April 25.

The court heard police intercepted Diel for a roadside breath test at 1.08am, observing a male toddler in the backseat of her car.

She initially asked not to be breath tested, telling police she had drunk two Jim Beam and Cokes earlier that night.

She had a 0.058 BAC.

Diel told police she had “a few more than two drinks” with a friend before going home to put her son to bed.

She said she was embarrassed to speak about her alcohol consumption that night because she was pregnant.

Visibly upset in court, Diel pleaded with Magistrate Ron Muirhead not to disqualify her licence, so she could continue her farm work and running her own cleaning business.

She offered to pay a “bigger” fine to avoid disqualification, as she was not eligible to apply for a work licence due to a previous drink-driving conviction.

Mr Muirhead explained her previous conviction meant her licence must be disqualified for a minimum of nine months.

He kept the disqualification at the minimum, and also imposed a $600 fine, and recorded a conviction.

4. Morgan Windridge Ryan appeared at Bowen Magistrates Court, pleading guilty to drink-driving on Gregory Street, Bowen on April 30.

The court heard police intercepted the 22 year old for a roadside breath test about 7pm.

He had a 0.092 BAC.

Ryan’s solicitor Cleo Rewald said a lengthy licence disqualification could mean her client would have to delay completion of his diesel fitting apprenticeship.

As a provisional licence holder, he was ineligible to apply for a work licence.

Magistrate Ron Muirhead disqualified Ryan’s licence for three months, imposed a $750 fine and recorded a conviction.

5. Esko Auda pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrates Court to drug-driving on Emerson Drive, Bowen on March 16.

The court heard police intercepted the provisional licence holder about 5.10pm, administering a roadside drug test, which returned a positive result.

Auda admitted to police he had “had two cones” at 11pm the previous day.

Analysis confirmed the presence of marijuana in his saliva.

Auda said he was not planning on driving that day but “had to go to the shops”.

Magistrate Ron Muirhead disqualified Auda’s licence for three months, imposed at $600 fine, and recorded a conviction.

6. George Christopher Smith pleaded guilty at Bowen Magistrates Court to drug-driving on Brisbane Street, Bowen on March 28.

The court heard police intercepted the 18-year-old about 5.30pm, and when he returned a positive drug test, he admitted he had smoked marijuana earlier that day.

Smith’s solicitor Cleo Rewald said at the time of the offence, her client had been doing some work on his car and was taking it for a “test drive”.

She said her client had driven less than one kilometre before police stopped him.

She argued her client needed his driver’s licence to get to work both on the family farm and at his fitting and turning apprenticeship.

His father was often away from home for work, and his mother did not have a driving licence.

As the holder of a provisional licence, Smith would not be able to apply for a work licence in the event of a disqualification.

Magistrate Ron Muirhead disqualified Smith’s licence for three months, imposed a $500 fine and recorded a conviction.