L-plater Karen Mehana and supervisor Colin Toka plead guilty to high range drink-driving

A 54-year-old Learner and her supervisor, 60, have both pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving after police pulled them up on Wyong Rd just before midnight with no headlights on.

One minute Colin Toka thought he was “going to KFC” and the next minute he was being dragged out of his car by police, a court has heard.

Toka, 60, and his partner Karen Mehana, 54, both of Strathavon Resort Wyong, pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving when they represented themselves at Wyong Local Court on Monday.

An agreed set of facts states the pair were seen driving in a white Ford Ranger ute along Wyong Rd at Berkeley Vale, at 11.50pm on May 19, without the vehicle’s headlights on.

Officers pulled the ute over and Mehana produced a Learner’s licence.

L-plater Karen Mehana, 54, and her supervising driver Colin Toka, 60, leaving Wyong Local Court where they pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving. Picture: NewsLocal

“Police inspected the headlights which were found to operate when turned on,” the facts state.

She failed a roadside test and was taken to Wyong Police Station where she recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.183

She told police her first drink was 8.15pm and last at 10.30pm and she drank three 125mL glasses of sauvignon blanc.

The facts state Toka was the fully licenced supervising driver who was required to be under 0.05.

He said he had four Super Dry beers

She said she had three glasses of wine

He also failed a roadside test and was taken to Wyong Police Station where he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.162 and was charged with high range drink-driving while sitting next to a Learner driver.

He told police he had his first drink at 4.45pm and last drink at 8pm.

“The accused stated he drank four schooners of Super Dry beer during this time,” the facts state.

Toka told the court he was going to KFC to get a feed after going to the pub when he “jumped in the car and fell asleep”.

He said the next thing he remembered was police pulling him from the vehicle.

Toka told the court they were heading to KFC before they were stopped nearby on Wyong Rd at Berkeley Vale. Picture: Google

“I just missed out on a unit I was waiting for seven months so I went to the pub for a drink,” he said.

Toka said he had been struggling to secure a rental property and the high beams on the “work truck” did not operate.

However Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis told him the car had “no forward facing lights” switched on at all.

Toka, 60, arriving at Wyong Local Court

Mehana, 54, leaving. Pictures: NewsLocal

She disqualified him for the minimum six months and ordered he go on the interlock device for a further 24 months. However she waved any fine.

The court heard Mehana had her Learner permit for a few years but she never went “the next step” to obtain her Provisional licence.

She told the court she was a chef at The Grange Hotel and had been stood down following the latest COVID lockdown.

Likewise Magistrate Ellis disqualified her for six months with a further 24-month interlock order should she reapply for her Learner’s licence. She also avoided a fine.