NewsBite

Fawkner highway patrol kept busy over Grand Final long weekend

A Pascoe Vale South dad trying to get his newborn baby to sleep now faces six months off the road after being busted drink-driving. He was among more than 800 drivers caught breaking the law by Fawkner police over the Grand Final long weekend.

Motorcyclist dies in crash after fleeing police (9 News)

A Pascoe Vale South dad trying to put his newborn baby to sleep during a spin around the block has been busted at almost double the drink-driving limit.

What was supposed to be a quick Sunday afternoon trip has now resulted in the father being off the road for the next six months after he registered a preliminary breath test of .097 in Coonans Rd.

Fawkner highway patrol Sergeant Michael Free said it was one of the more shocking incidents among the 800 motorists caught breaking the law as part of Operation Scoreboard over the Grand Final long weekend.

MORE NORTHERN NEWS:

ALPHA PRO WRESTLING RETURNS TO THE RING FOR ANNIVERSARY SHOW

MERRI HEALTH SAYS PARKING RESTRICTIONS COULD FORCE SHUTDOWNS

FORMER AFL STAR EDUCATES YOUTH ON FAMILY VIOLENCE

Sydney Rd again proved a hotspot for mobile phone offences with hundreds of drivers detected using their device behind the wheel.

Sgt Free said officers patrolling the area on push bikes picked up most of the offences.

“Most people think they need to use it but really they just want to use it,” he said.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the time it can wait.”

Police on push bikes caught hundreds of drivers using a phone along Sydney Rd. Picture: David Caird
Police on push bikes caught hundreds of drivers using a phone along Sydney Rd. Picture: David Caird

Speeding offences kept police busiest with 240 drivers clocked over the limit in Moreland and 29 in Hume.

A 25-year-old was caught travelling at an alleged 188km/h on the Western Ring Rd in Gowanbrae on his way to return a friend’s Mercedes a45 AMG in Roxburgh Park.

The car was impounded and the Endeavour Hills man will be summoned to court at a later date on dangerous driving and speeding charges.

He faces a minimum 12 months off the road.

Another driver was caught travelling at 140km/h along the Hume Highway in Campbellfield about 2pm on September 29.

The 35-year-old Craigieburn man in his mum’s Ford sedan will also front court on dangerous driving and speeding charges.

The road toll for 2019 currently sits at 204, 52 more than the same time last year.

Operation Scoreboard stats:

Moreland:

3 drink-drivers

8 drug-drivers

12 disqualified drivers

13 unlicensed drivers

240 speeding offences

95 disobey signs/signals

21 seatbelt offences

229 mobile phone offences

59 unregistered vehicles

14 impounds

15 pedestrian offences

7 cyclist offences

Hume:

6 drink-drivers

4 disqualified drivers

4 unlicensed drivers

29 speeding offences

29 disobey signs/signals

8 seatbelt offences

9 mobile phone offences

16 unregistered vehicles

4 impounds

2 cyclist offences

Statewide:

161 disqualified/suspended drivers

280 unlicensed drivers

782 unregistered vehicles

2780 speeding offences

569 mobile phone offences

569 disobey signs/signals

126 vehicle impounds

226 seat belt offences

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/fawkner-highway-patrol-kept-busy-over-grand-final-long-weekend/news-story/0582b76ea8857465201bdc76e2063ba8