Drink drivers busted on Clarence roads in 2020

From a drunk driver who tried to flee the scene after crashing his car to a driver caught drunk on the wrong side of the highway, here’s some of the wildest drink drivers caught in 2020.

Here are some of the more shocking drink driving cases to appear in court in the Clarence Valley this year. Picture: iSTOCK

Each year thousands of people are convicted of drink driving offences. Here are a few of the drink drivers who appeared in Clarence Valley courts in 2020:

 

DRINK DRIVER ROLLS CAR THROUGH FENCE, TRIES TO FLEE SCENE

A Great Marlow man who was caught by police attempting to leave the scene of a crash after rolling his car while three times over the legal alcohol limit has avoided a jail sentence, before expressing his relief on social media.

David Scott Brodie appeared in Grafton Local Court in November where he was convicted of high range drink driving.

According to the police facts at 5.05pm on September 6 this year the 32-year-old was travelling south along Lawrence Rd, Lower Southgate when he lost control of his vehicle while attempting a sweeping right hand bend and rolled through a wire fence into a paddock.

Magistrate Kathy Crittenden sentenced Brodie to an intensive corrections order for nine months, including 90 hours community service. He was also disqualified from holding a driver's licence for 10 months.

Full story here.

 

TRUCKIE JAILED FOR DANGEROUS POLICE PURSUIT

A Queensland truck driver has been sentenced for leading police on a wild 70km pursuit from Glenugie to Mororo that saw a B-double truck crash into police vehicles and swerve across the Pacific Highway.

Nerang man Adam Christopher Lyall, 49, faced Grafton District Court in November where he was convicted over police pursuit (not stop) driving dangerously, driving recklessly in a dangerous manner, driving under the influence of alcohol and not recording information as prescribed by national regulations.

According to the agreed facts, at around 8pm on Saturday, February 16 last year numerous triple-0 calls were received regarding a B-double combination truck travelling north on Pacific Highway between Kempsey and Coffs Harbour, which was driving in an erratic manner without headlights or tail lights.

The court heard that over a number of kilometres, Lyall drove the truck in such a manner that vehicles were forced from the roadway, and the truck also drove over a number of guide posts.

In court Judge Jonathon Priestley acknowledged Lyall's guilty pleas and sentenced him to 17 months behind bars, backdated to June 7, 2019. Lyall was also sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order, and disqualified from driving for two years.

Full story here.

 

DRIVER A 'GRAVE RISK' TO THE CLARENCE COMMUNITY

A man who was charged with a high-range drink driving offence just days after police stopped him driving on the wrong side of the highway while drunk posed a "grave risk" to the safety of the community, a court has heard.

Robert John Kenny, 69, appeared in Grafton Local Court in July after pleading guilty to two drink driving charges, one mid-range and one high-range, and driving while suspended.

According to court documents, about 6pm on March 14 this year police received calls from the public that a vehicle was driving dangerously on the Pacific Highway at Maclean.

After arriving at the scene police found the vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road. Police stopped the vehicle and Kenny was apprehended, where he told police he had drank scotch before leaving his Grafton home to travel to Brisbane.

Kenny returned a blood alcohol reading of .145, and his licence was suspended.

Ms Crittenden noted that Kenny had taken steps to address his alcohol abuse and said she was satisfied that while a term of imprisonment was necessary, it could be served in the community.

Kenny was convicted and sentenced to an intensive corrections order for 18 months, which included directions to abstain from alcohol, attend rehabilitation and driver education programs.

Kenny was disqualified from driving for nine months, and placed on an interlock device for 24 months after the expiration of the disqualification period.

Full story here.

 

• South Grafton man SHANE CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS was convicted of drive with high range PCA and sentenced to a Conditional Release Order for 12 months from September 7 2020, subject to the following standard conditions.

About 8.50pm on June 28, 2020 police received a phone call after Phillips was seen entering the driver's seat of his car at Spring St, South Grafton and appeared heavily intoxicated. Police stopped the vehicle for a breath test and the 55-year-old returned a positive reading of 0.176. When questioned about alcohol consumption he refused to answer any questions and became uncooperative.

 

• DENIS JAMES HOLLIS was convicted of drive with high range PCA in October and sentenced to a Community Correction Order for a period of 12 months to commence on October 26, 2020. Hollis was ordered to perform 100 hours community service work and was disqualified for nine months from holding any driver's licence.

 

• CAMPBELL JAMES LYNNE-WALDEN was convicted in August of drive with high range PCA, drive with middle range PCA, drive motor vehicle while licence suspended and learner/P1/P2 licence holder use mobile phone while driving and sentenced to a community correction order for a period of 12 months and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service. Lynne-Walden was also disqualified from holding any driver's licence for eight months and placed on an interlock driver's licence for 24 months to commence at the completion of the disqualification period. The offender was also fined $700.

 

• ETHAN MEYER-CREIGHTON was convicted of drive with high range PCA and sentenced to a Community Correction Order for a period of 18 months to commence on August 3 2020. The offender is to perform 100 hours Community Service Work and was disqualified for 12 months from holding any driver's licence and must hold an interlock driver's licence for 48 months.

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