DUI driver Martyna Kosla who caused tanker crash escapes jail time

A drunk driver — who was more than four times the legal limit and could have caused a catastrophic explosion — has escaped imprisonment but has been banned from driving for nine months.

Martyna Kosla, 33, was found guilty of high-range drink-driving. Picture: AAP Image / Adam Yip

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A drink driver who could have caused a catastrophic explosion has escaped imprisonment but has been banned from driving for nine months.

The woman, who was more than four times the legal limit, also was fined $250 and ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

The scene of the crash in Seaforth. Picture: Hans Oechsli

Martyna Kosla, 33, was found guilty of high-range drink-driving after being caught four times the legal limit after she caused a petrol tanker to strike a rock face on a busy six-lane road at Seaforth and mount the gutter on October 17.

The tanker was carrying nearly 34,000 litres of fuel and emergency services feared a fuel leak could lead to a massive explosion.

The truck following the crash. Picture: Adam Yip / Manly Daily

Ms Kosla, formerly of Dee Why but now of Castle Hill, initially stopped after causing the crash on Manly Rd near the Ethel St bridge but then drove away.

Police said a female motorist who witnessed the incident followed Ms Kosla for about three kilometres before Ms Kosla’s damaged VW Golf broke down at the corner of Condamine and King streets at Manly Vale.

“The witness reached in and removed the keys from the Golf and held onto them until police arrived,” the police facts sheet stated.

The witness told the police that Ms Kosla appeared to be in shock.

The scene at Seaforth. Picture: Hans Oechslin

After Ms Kosla was taken to Manly Police Station, she returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.222 – more than four times the legal limit.

She was charged with high-range drink-driving and failing to exchange details with the truck driver.

The incident caused traffic chaos for more than 12 hours as authorities closed off parts of Manly Rd as they worked to remove the badly damaged prime mover.

Through her solicitor, Ms Kosla pleaded guilty to both charges on October 31.

On November 7 the matter was adjourned pending the completion of a psychiatric report and to allow Ms Kosla to complete a traffic offender’s program.

On Monday, Ms Kosla’s solicitor said his client had suffered from numerous mental health issues for many years, including serious depression, anxiety, hypertension and epilepsy, and had been on various forms of medication.

Ms Kosla had written to the court acknowledging her fault and apologising for it.

Her solicitor said Ms Kosla’s relationship had since broken down and she was now living with her parents.

Manly magistrate Chris Longley said the potential for a disaster following the crash with the petrol tanker was high but acknowledged Ms Kosla’s early guilty plea, her mental health issues and her solicitor’s statement that the risk of his client reoffending was low.