Christopher Ganter sentenced for Bruce Highway drink driving

A “swerving” Queensland businessman was tracked and eventually caught on the Bruce Hwy with a cup of wine in his centre console and an extraordinary blood alcohol reading.

Christopher Lincoln Ganter.

It was 1pm when police were told that a black Toyota HiLux was “driving dangerously” on the Bruce Highway.

They conducted patrols between Bororen and Miriam Vale for the car and when they found it, they approached from behind, activating lights and sirens.

Police saw the car swerving and travelling outside of its lanes before it sped up slightly to tailgate a driver in front.

Police then terminated the pursuit as per policy and procedure.

About five minutes later, police spotted the HiLux parked at Miriam Vale and when they approached it, they saw Christopher Lincoln Ganter behind the wheel “half asleep” while eating a pie.

Ganter also had a cup of wine in the centre console and he told police he had been drinking with “old friends” in Gladstone the night before.

He said he had not seen police following him on the highway and he returned a blood alcohol reading of .244.

Christopher Lincoln Ganter.

The 47-year-old accepted that version of events in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to drink driving and failing to comply with a police requirement to stop.

The court heard the March 24 incident was not Ganter’s first high-range drink driving offence and it was ultimately Magistrate Cameron Press who described his traffic history as “appalling.”

Mr Press pointed out that Ganter had previously been disqualified for two years for driving while suspended and in 2019 he was convicted of driving without a required interlock device twice.

Also in 2019, Ganter was caught drink driving with a reading of .192, and in 2017 he was busted with a reading of .248.

Christopher Lincoln Ganter.

Solicitor Krissy Cummins said Ganter “had no clear recollection” of the latest incident and he “had no business to be on the Bruce Highway” that day.

Ms Cummins said Ganter, who owned a business, had experienced problems with alcohol for about five years.

She said he had recently sought professional help for that and he was medicated.

Magistrate Press said Ganter may be at risk of imprisonment and Ms Cummins said if her client was jailed, he would lose his business.

“He has the car locked up so that no further (drink driving) instances occur,” Ms Cummins said. Mr Press then asked why Ganter didn’t just sell his car (so he could not drink drive).

Ganter himself replied: “That is an option, Your Honour.”

Mr Press responded: “It’s an option you’re going to have to pursue, Sir.”

Prior to sentencing, Mr Press said Ganter had previously been placed on probation and been given ample opportunity to address his drinking issues.

“You need to sell your car and never go back to it until you no longer touch alcohol at all,” Mr Press said.

“I mean that’s what it’s going to need, because you’re going to end up killing someone.

“And if you kill someone and you’re driving with blood alcohol in your system, you go to jail for a long time.

“It’s going to happen, Sir – something’s going to happen, because you can’t keep doing this.”

Mr Press sentenced Ganter to nine months’ jail with immediate parole release, fined him $1000 and disqualified him from driving for three years.

Originally published as Christopher Ganter sentenced for Bruce Highway drink driving