East Gosford: Hannah Shelton, 27, hit parked car before blowing 0.227

A registered nurse and retained firefighter made a “gross error” when she downed a bottle of Fireball whisky, “got lost” and hit a parked car without even realising in the middle of the day.

Hannah Jane Shelton, 27, of Wyoming, was convicted of high range drink-driving after she struck a parked car at East Gosford and later returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.227. Picture: Facebook

A registered nurse and retained firefighter didn’t even know she had hit a parked car in the middle of the day before trying to stagger away quickly when police arrived, a court has heard.

Hannah Jane Shelton, 27, of Wyoming, faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to high-range drink-driving.

The court heard Shelton was a registered nurse and a retained firefighter who was training to be a paramedic.

Shelton’s solicitor, leading criminal lawyer Natasha Konic, told the court her client was somewhat of a “dichotomy” in that she did so much good in the community but had her own personal demons, which had led her to drink.

Ms Konic said Shelton had actually sought help for her alcoholism before the drink-driving incident but sadly relapsed on the day.

Shelton faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

An agreed set of facts states Shelton was plagued with personal issues when she went to Liquorland at Green Point about 10.30am on November 13, when she purchased a bottle of Fireball whisky.

Shelton then drove to a back street in Springfield, where she drank the bottle before attempting to drive home.

Shelton told police she picked up a bottle of Fireball whisky. Picture: fireballwhisky.com

However, she got lost and “ended up in East Gosford”.

She was driving her red Toyota RAV4 west on Caroline St when the front passenger side of her vehicle struck the back driver’s side corner of a parked Mazda BT50 about 1pm.

“The accused then continued driving further west for approximately 500m to the end of Caroline St and came to a stop,” the facts state.

Witnesses came out and found her to be “well affected by alcohol”.

Shelton was driving west along Caroline St, East Gosford, when she struck a parked ute. Picture: Google

“Police attended a short time later and located the accused quickly walking away from her vehicle,” the facts state.

“Police observed the accused to be stumbling, smelt strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and her speech being slurred.”

Shelton failed a roadside test and was taken to Gosford Police Station, where she returned a reading of 0.227, well into the high range.

“The accused could not recall having a crash with another motor vehicle,” the facts state.

Ms Konic told the court Shelton had since paid $3500 in damages for the ute she hit.

Magistrate Scott Nash said Shelton had a low risk of reoffending.

“This is a very serious example of high-range drink-driving and you did have the collision,” he said.

“You're a good person who’s made a gross error of judgement.”

Mr Nash convicted Shelton and put her on a community correction order for 12 months, with an added condition she abstain from alcohol.

He also fined her $880 and disqualified her for the minimum period of six months, with a further two years on an interlock device.