Gympie cops bust Maryborough woman almost five times limit
"Police observed her to be very uneasy, she had slurred speech and they could smell alcohol on her breath,” Sgt Manns said.
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A MARYBOROUGH driver caught with a .243 per cent breath alcohol reading was fined $1200 when she appeared in Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday.
She was also disqualified from driving for 12 months, after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of liquor on September 25.
Police told the court Joylene Mearander Ann Heath, 38, had been caught at the Caltex 24-hour service station, on the Bruce Highway at Geordie Rd.
Heath pleaded guilty to the charge.
Police told the court officers had responded to calls from the public about a driver said to be under the influence.
Prosecutor Lisa Manns told the court police found Heath standing near her white Dodge Nitro, while a male changed the front left tyre.
Heath admitted driving in the past hour, Sgt Manns said.
"Police observed her to be very uneasy, she had slurred speech and they could smell alcohol on her breath," Sgt Manns said.
Service station staff told police Heath had driven into the service station about five minutes before police arrived.
Heath said she had recently been experiencing mental health issues and the offence had prompted her to seek access through her doctor to community health services related to alcohol and other drug dependencies.
Said she had also been to the dentist, was on pain relief and was not in the right frame of mind make the decision to get in a vehicle after consuming alcohol.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan said the pain relief drugs might also have made Heath even more under the influence.
"The combination of the two is not good," he said.
Mr Callaghan said he also took into account the extra burden a licence disqualification meant for residents of regional areas.
Originally published as Gympie cops bust Maryborough woman almost five times limit
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