Adonia Saunders disqualified from driving for four years

A Geelong mother will not be able to drive for four years after refusing to have a blood sample taken.

Adonia Saunders

A young mum will not be able to drive for four years after failing eight times to give police a sample of her breath and then refusing to give a blood sample.

Geelong woman Adonia Saunders, 25, pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday to refusing to remain for a blood sample and received a $900 fine and a conviction.

The court heard police were patrolling the Geelong CBD late last year when they pulled Saunders over.

Police asked to see her driver’s licence in the early hours of October 8, 2022, and asked her to undergo a breath analysis.

Police prosecutor First Constable Alex Turner said Saunders failed to provide police with a sample of her breath on eight occasions and “refused to listen” to police directions.

The court heard police wanted to transport Saunders in the back of a police van, but she refused as she said she was “not a scumbag” and wanted to be placed in the back seat of a car.

She was then taken to the Geelong police station in a Ssdan and underwent further breath tests, but failed to return a result.

She was taken to Geelong hospital about 4am for a blood test.

The court heard Saunders refused a blood sample because she had a panic attack.

She then walked back into the hospital and demanded to have her blood taken again, before walking out and stating “I decided I don’t want one”.

Saunders’ lawyer, Matilda Jones, said her client was undergoing a number of stressful events, and the incident was a result of a culmination of events.

“Being pulled over was the cherry on top,” Ms Jones said.

Ms Jones said her client had panic control and lost control at that moment.

“She is not proud of her behaviour, she seemed to lose control and didn’t know how else to react,” she said.

Magistrate Franz Holzer said these kinds of instances are avoidable.

“It is a lot easier to just be co-operative,” Mr Holzer said.

Originally published as Adonia Saunders disqualified from driving for four years