Sophia Tatchell at Tweed court on drink driving charge

An 18-year-old woman who drank vodka at her grandmother’s came unstuck when she popped a tyre on a gutter. And the trouble didn’t end there.

Sophia Tatchell appeared before Tweed Heads Local Court.

An 18-year-old woman who drank vodka at her grandmother’s came unstuck when she popped a tyre on a gutter - and a further charge followed when she went to surrender her licence at Tweed Heads Police station.

Sophia Tatchell faced Tweed Heads Local Court on November 16 when she pleaded guilty to driving with a mid-range PCA of 0.139 and possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Tatchell was reported to police by a member of the public who saw her pull over into the gutter at Darlington Drive in Banora Point, which caused her front tyre to blow out.

Court documents reveal police attended the location of the incident before going to Tatchell’s home, where officers noticed the car parked with damage to the nearside tyre and wheel.

The Banora Point woman was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, where she told officers she had been drinking alcohol while visiting her grandmother in Brisbane, court documents state.

Tatchell said she had drunk an unknown quantity of vodka and cordial/soda water - and milk before leaving her gran’s, police facts state.

The next day, Tatchell went to Tweed Heads Police Station to surrender her driver’s licence.

But as she removed her licence from her handbag, a clear zip-lock bag containing a cannabis leaf fell out.

Police arrested Tatchell for possessing a prohibited drug.

Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy said he would not record a conviction regarding the small amount of cannabis.

However the mid-range PCA reading of 0.139 was cause for rebuke, with Mr Dunlevy noting “You were driving almost three times the legal limit”.

“It’s also the situation while there were extenuating circumstances, it was your matter of driving that caused the police to attend your property,” he said.

Mr Dunlevy convicted Tatchell, fined her $600, and ordered a minimum licence disqualification period of six months and an interlock licence.