Luiza Crissiuma Pedrosa charged with high range drink driving, Byron crash

A drunk driver who crashed into two cars in Byron Bay and fled the scene was trying to buy a pie at a bakery, a court has heard.

A drink driver who blew more than three times the legal limit after crashing into two cars and fleeing in Byron Bay was trying to get a pie in town, a court has heard.

Luisa Crissiuma Pedrosa, 33, pleaded guilty to high range drink driving and not giving her details after a crash in Byron Bay on June 17 this year.

She was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to driving while suspended after she was caught behind the wheel on her way to work after police suspended her licence in relation to the drink driving.

Documents tendered to Byron Bay Local Court reveal Pedrosa was driving into Byron Bay to get a pie after drinking several Coopers beers and some white wine.

Police state Pedrosa then crashed into a car which was waiting for a car spot on Middleton Street, pushing that car into the vehicle leaving the spot, before fleeing the scene without providing her details. 

Luiza Crissiuma Pedrosa exits Byron Bay courthouse.

Officers caught up with Pedrosa after one of the victims took a photo of her numberplate before she drove from the scene, leaving both cars substantially damaged and one leaking diesel fuel.

A subsequent breath analysis returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.187 - more than three times the legal limit.

Days later, police saw Pedrosa driving in Suffolk Park while her licence was suspended due to the drink driving charge and she was charged further with driving suspended.

Pedrosa faced Byron Bay Local Court on September 12, where the court heard she was driving from her accommodation to the bakery and had recently lost her job on top of dealing with “the breakdown of an abusive relationship”.

“When she was caught driving suspended, she had work obligations and had no other way to get there. She is remorseful for that,” solicitor Isabelle Braly said.

Magistrate Karen Stafford reprimanded Pedrosa for her “conscious decision to ignore that suspension” when she knew she was suspended in relation to the high range drink driving charge. 

“I know that you were going through a tough time but that doesn’t, in my view, excuse your behaviour when you made a conscious decision to get behind the wheel of the car when you knew you were suspended,” Ms Stafford said.

Ms Stafford convicted Pedrosa of high range drink driving, not giving details after a crash and driving while suspended and sentenced her to a 12-month community corrections order.

She was also fined $1000 for the drink driving, $800 for failing to give details after the crash, and $600 for driving suspended.

She was also suspended from driving for six months, backdated to June, and will be required to use an interlock device in her vehicle for the next two years.