Qiuhan Xu: Accountant caught drink driving, nearly runs over cop

A mild-mannered accountant, who does volunteer charity work, was caught high-range drink-driving when her vehicle hit a ‘Stop Police’ sign and she nearly hit a cop at an RBT site on Sydney’s lower north shore. Now she has been sentenced in court.

Qiuhan Xu, 32, of Burwood, outside Manly Courthouse where she was convicted of high-range drink driving after she drove past a RBT site, smashed her car mirror on the “Stop Police” sign held by an officer and stopped one kilometre away. Picture Rohan Kelly

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She was described by relatives and friends as a quiet, mild-mannered accountant who goes out of her way to help others and who does volunteer charity work.

But Manly Local Court was told on Wednesday that Qiuhan Xu, 31, was drunk behind the wheel of her car at 1am on Australia Day and nearly ran over a police officer at a random breath testing site.

Qiuhan Xu, 32, of Burwood waits outside Manly Courthouse before being sentenced on a high-range drink driving charge . Picture Rohan Kelly

And Xu, from Burwood, then failed to pull over even though the left-hand side mirror on her Toyota RAV 4 was smashed after it struck a “Stop Police” sign — at 50km/h — being held by the officer.

The accountant did not stop until police caught up with her 1km further down the road.

Xu, who pleaded guilty to high-range drink-driving and fail to comply with request to stop vehicle, blew 0.168 — three times the legal limit.

A police facts sheet tendered to court said Xu failed to slow down as she approached the RBT site on River Rd, Northwood, on the Lower North Shore, early on January 26 this year.

her car’s mirror struck the hand-held “Stop Police” sign, but she continued to travel west for 1km before police caught up.

Xu told police she had three to four wines before driving.

Her solicitor Nicholas Hardy-Clements told the court that his client, who he described as having a “wonderful character”, did not stop at the RBT site because she was “confused by all the flashing lights”.

Qiuhan Xu, 32, of Burwood told police she did not stop at the RBT site because she was “confused” by all the flashing lights. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Several references tendered to court described Xu as a person of good character who regularly volunteered for charity work.

Magistrate Michelle Goodwin told Xu that there was no way that she could not have known that she was over the limit.

“If you hadn’t been drunk, I don’t think you would have been confused by the (police) lights,’ Ms Goodwin said.

Xu was placed on a two-year Community Corrections Order to be of good behaviour; disqualified from driving for six months and fined a total of $900.