Driver who cut off police in traffic blew three times limit

HAVING cut off a police patrol on Tor St, the 52-year-old blew a breath/alcohol reading more than three times the legal limit.

The driver blew three times the legal limit after cutting off a police patrol.

CUTTING off a police patrol in traffic wasn't the smartest of manoeuvres for a Toowoomba man found driving while more than three times the legal limit.

David Juma Steward Yata had cut in front of a police car on Tor St about 5.30pm, July 25, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told.

Pulled over by the police patrol, the 52-year-old was found to be trying to hide a bottle of liquor beside him and he told police he was driving home from the bottle shop, police prosecutor Nikola Prince told the court.

When it looked as if Yata was about to drive off, police leaned into the car and took his keys, she said.

Yata blew a breath/alcohol reading of 0.156, the court heard.

Yata pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of liquor.

His solicitor Stuart Percy told the court his client had been stressed that day after being told his uncle back in Sudan who had brought him up had been killed.

His client had been without his driver's licence since that evening in July, he said.

Magistrate Kay Ryan fined Yata $500 and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for six months.

The conviction was not recorded.

Originally published as Driver who cut off police in traffic blew three times limit