Wendy Daley: Drink driver three times over limit in main street

A ‘beer drinker’ who switched to martinis had only eaten one pretzel before getting behind the wheel and hitting a light pole so hard it snapped in Dubbo’s main street.

Four martinis cost Wendy Daley two jobs, her licence and $750. Picture: Facebook

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A Dubbo woman caught driving three times over the limit after she switched from beers to martinis and had only eaten a pretzel has has fronted court after hitting a light pole.

Wendy Caroline Daley, 59, told police she consumed four martinis at the Establishment Bar before she tried to drive a Mitsubishi Mirage home on July 17.

After Daley started travelling down Macquarie Street, she drove over a pedestrian crossing and mounted a median strip before colliding with a light pole.

Wendy Daley downed four martinis at the Establishment Bar in Dubbo before she tried to drive home. Picture: Karin Calvert

According to court documents, the vehicle hit the pole with so much force it caused the pole to snap before airbags were deployed and it came to a complete stop.

Alarmed onlookers in Dubbo’s main street made multiple calls for help and when police arrived Daley initially claimed another person was driving the car.

She later admitted it was her behind the wheel and was walked to the nearby Dubbo Police Station where a breath test produced a reading of 0.153.

Daley pleaded guilty to one count of high-range drink driving and one count of negligent driving when she appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

Wendy Daley has been ordered to fit an alcohol interlock device to her car at her own expense. Picture: Nine News

The court heard Daley considered herself a drinker of beer and didn’t realise how strong martinis were.

Because her licence was suspended Daley lost her old job, as well as a new one a week after she started, the court heard.

Magistrate Gary Wilson said Daley was considered a responsible woman, with the exception of her drink-driving.

“It was a stupid decision, it could have been disastrous,” he said.

Daley was convicted of both offences, fined $750 and disqualified from driving for six months.

She was also ordered to install an alcohol ignition interlock device on any vehicle she drives for the next two years.