St Albans woman drove over Bolte Bridge in wrong direction while disqualified

Traffic control crews needed to stop traffic on the Bolte Bridge when a woman was driving on the wrong side of the road. Read what happened.

A Melbourne woman who stopped her car in the middle of the freeway while travelling in the wrong direction has learnt her fate in court.

Svjetlana Santarius pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified in the Sunshine Magistrates Court on Wednesday following a late night incident in 2021.

The St Albans woman was seen on CCTV by CityLink control operators driving a vehicle on the wrong side of the road while travelling outbound over the Bolte Bridge about 2.40am.

Svjetlana Santarius, 34 pleaded guilty in Sunshine Magistrates Court following the 2021 incident. Picture: Supplied

Police prosecutors told the court that traffic control crews were required to block other motorists and contact police before Santarius stopped driving.

About 2.55am, police attended the scene and observed the vehicle stationary in the middle of the freeway before conducting checks on the 34-year-old’s licence.

Santarius was suspended from driving 11 days earlier for failure to undertake a medical review.

Santarius was seen on CCTV driving on the wrong side of the road over the Bolte Bridge about 2.40am. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Her licence remains disqualified indefinitely until she obtains medical clearance.

Magistrate Andrew Capell disqualified her from obtaining a driver’s licence for six months and fined her $500.