Driver five times over limit says ‘mitigating circumstances’ behind her actions

A Gold Coast woman who evaded police, crashed into a house and blew five times the legal blood-alcohol limit says there were ‘mitigating circumstances’.

A DRIVER who evaded police, crashed into a house, blew five times the legal blood-alcohol limit and had two empty bottle of wine in her car says the cops got it wrong.

“I only consumed three quarters of one of those bottles. It still had a quarter left in it. It wasn’t completely empty.”

Lisa Gai Pickett phoned the Gold Coast Bulletin today after reading an article about her court appearance to “give her side of the story”.

The 41-year-old was this week sentenced to three years probation, disqualified from driving for five years and fined $6700 after pleading guilty to multiple charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, using a mobile phone while driving, assaulting police and evading police. Her blood-alcohol reading was 0.267 per cent. The limit is 0.05.

Lisa Pickett was found five times over the limit, evaded police and smashed her car into a house.

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“There are mitigating circumstances as to why I drove away from the police,” she said yesterday. “I have a previous history with police treating me unkindly, so I was evading them not because I had consumed alcohol but due to a general fear of police.”

Police claim they noticed Ms Pickett's silver Mitsubishi swerving from left to right on Olsen Ave, Molendinar about 6pm on March 20.

Officers followed the car and gestured for Ms Pickett to stop when they pulled up at traffic lights.

Ms Pickett was sending a text message. She shook her head at police and drove off.

Police followed Pickett along Southport-Nerang Rd but stopped the chase when it became dangerous. Court documents said witnesses saw Pickett’s car mount the kerb on Moora St, clip a tree before rolling over and colliding with a house.

When asked how she could justify any of her actions – which also included refusing treatment from an ambulance officer and poking a police officer in the chest four times – she said:

“I’m 100 per cent remorseful and grateful that no-one was hurt and I know I’ve done the wrong thing.”

Ms Pickett said she had submitted documents to the court from her psychiatrist which detailed long-standing mental health issues, as well as previous altercations with police officers.

She also wrote a letter to Magistrate Gary Finger outlining her remorse and her experiences.

“It’s the reason I managed to avoid going to jail and I’m very thankful,” she said.

Lisa Pickett says she is remorseful for her actions.

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Police also gave a glowing summary of Ms Pickett’s behaviour after she apologised to them the day after the incident and asked for assistance with her alcohol problem.

“Police believe that the defendant is a person of good character and that the night in question she just made a terrible mistake,” said a police sentencing schedule tendered to court.

“The defendant has been severely punished financially as a result of this incident and her expensive 4WD is a complete write-off and the defendant maybe subject to civil litigation in relation to the damage caused to the house she crashed into.

“It would be greatly appreciated if these factors could be taken into consideration at sentencing.”