Alexandra Hills woman drives wrong way through roundabout, collapses in front of cops

A serial drink-driving disability support worker has been caught by police in such a state of intoxication that she collapsed in front of them right after a 75-kilometre drive.

A serial drink-driving disability worker who was so intoxicated behind the wheel she drove the wrong way through a traffic island and collapsed in front of police during her intercept, said she drank a whole bottle of wine before starting her 75km journey.

Appearing at Cleveland Magistrates Court today Fiona Lea Boswell, 54, pleaded guilty to driving while over the middle alcohol limit but not over the high limit.

At first charged with high-range drink driving – driving under the influence of liquor – the Alexandra Hills woman had her charge reduced owing to complications in testing on the night of the offence.

The court heard Boswell, who had previously been sentenced for drink driving in 2017 and 2018, was unsteady on her feet, showed “all the signs” of intoxication and collapsed in front of police.

Fiona Boswell leaves Cleveland Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to drink driving. Picture: Marcel Baum

Taken to hospital, her tests were conducted some two hours after her intercept.

The court accepted that she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.123 per cent at the time.

Boswell, the court was told, had consumed a bottle of wine at an ailing friend’s house in the Gold Coast before driving to Alexandra Hills.

A police prosecutor said the defendant had put the community “at significant risk” and was ultimately intercepted by officers at around 10.45pm on Grant Street in Cleveland on October 31 last year, after driving the wrong way through a traffic island.

Defence solicitor Michael McMillan said his client had suffered a serious fracture in an unrelated event, and had not drunk alcohol since November last year in order to quicken the healing process.

Mr McMillan told the court Boswell’s previous drink drive offences were low range, with one instance being only just over the legal alcohol limit.

However, the solicitor accepted his client “certainly should not have been driving” and noted she would use a community care service and a moped to commute.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said the woman’s conduct showed signs of alcohol abuse and urged her to abstain from alcohol altogether when next she can drive.

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Boswell was fined $1,500 and disqualified from driving for six months, having already been without a licence for four months.

A conviction was recorded.