Ex-National Parks worker Christopher David Carson pleads guilty to drink driving, possessing cocaine and MDMA on way to fire
A National Parks employee who has since lost his job was caught drink driving with cocaine and MDMA in his wallet while heading to help battle a Mid-North Coast bushfire.
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A National Parks employee was caught drink driving with cocaine and MDMA in his wallet on the way to help fight a bushfire on the Mid-North Coast
Christopher David Carson told police he drove from Tweed Heads to Coffs Harbour and was planning to drive to West Kempsey.
The 63-year-old, listed as living at Huonbrook, pleaded guilty at Mullumbimby Local Court on Wednesday to drink driving and two counts of possessing illegal drugs.
Carson’s Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel drive was pulled over by police on the Pacific Motorway near Coffs Harbour about 11.30pm on October 31, according to court documents.
Police were contacted by a person concerned with Carson’s manner of driving.
Officers asked see Carson’s licence, but he said he could not find his wallet.
He told police he “was on his way to a fire in Willi Willi, west of Kempsey”.
Police breath tested Carson and he returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.140 – almost three times the legal limit for driving.
Carson was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station, where officers found 0.60g of cocaine and 0.93g of cocaine in the wallet, the documents state.
He told police he was planning to “eat” the cocaine and that he had downed five beers in the afternoon.
Police state: “He smelt like alcohol, he had glazed and bloodshot eyes and slurred speech … his balance was unsteady, he was swaying and his movements were sluggish.”
Defence lawyer Cameron Bell told the court Carson was working for National Parks at the time of offending.
He said Carson had lost his job, separated from his wife and sold his home.
“He has increased his alcohol intake since the separation and he is not a big drug user,” Mr Bell said.
“He can’t explain why he was driving while intoxicated.
“He was called by work to help with the fire and he shouldn’t have agreed to go, but he did.”
Mr Bell said Carson was “very well-known and highly regarded in the community”.
The court was told Carson had been “getting counselling and alcohol support”.
Magistrate Karen Stafford said the blood-alcohol reading was almost in the high-range.
“You were driving down to Coffs on the M1 and intending to go to Kempsey … you placed many people’s lives at risk,” she said.
“The drink driving is concerning because of your record. You had a high-range blood alcohol reading in 2019.”
However, Ms Stafford said Carson had completed a traffic offender’s program and “done a lot for the community, including helping after the (2022) floods”.
Ms Stafford convicted Carson and sentenced him to a 12-month community correction order.
His driver’s licence was disqualified for six months and he must use an alcohol interlock device for two years once back behind the wheel.
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