Drink driver nearly four times over after near-miss

A woman who blew almost four times the legal alcohol limit after a near-miss had developed a habit of medicating a workplace injury with alcohol, a court has heard.

A WOMAN who drove while almost four times the alcohol limit while self-medicating for a workplace accident has been praised for seeking help in the aftermath.

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Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates Court via phone Lynne Arnold, 63, was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $1200 after pleading guilty to driving while under the influence of liquor.

The court heard Arnold was intercepted by police at 6.55pm on December 14 last year at High St on Russell Island.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Duncan Blackburn said the defendant had swerved towards another vehicle shortly before the intercept.

Tests would later confirm a blood alcohol reading of 0.194.

Sen Sgt Blackburn said it was a serious offence with a reading so high and noted a significant number of road deaths were caused by drink driving.

Defence solicitor Tania Lacy said her client had been drinking wine with friends on the day and had developed a habit of medicating a 2005 workplace spinal injury with alcohol.

Arnold’s only traffic history dated back to a 2005 drink driving incident.

The defendant said she was currently undergoing rehabilitation for alcohol abuse and read out to the court a report from a clinic detailing her “significant progress towards improvement”.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta noted Arnold “had been out of trouble for years” and congratulated her on a determined effort at betterment.

Ms Vasta said it was clear Arnold was serious about controlling her alcohol abuse and warned her to not drive after what was “quite a high reading”.

A conviction was recorded.