Drink drivers, drug drivers, disqualified drivers in Rockhampton court

A man who crashed into a power pole blew four times over the legal limit. He was one of 10 people in court recently for either drink, drug or disqualified driving.

Eric Deisel, Yvonne Chelepy and Shannon Allen-John Steinhardt fronted Rockhampton Magistrates for traffic offences including drink driving and drug driving.

The following people pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to a range of driving offences on the region’s roads, from drink driving, drug driving to disqualified driving.

Venkatesh Babu Jambu, 28

After a few drinks at the races and little to eat, Jambu said he felt fine to drive home before he was pulled over at a static roadside breath testing site on October 21. His breath test told a different story.

Jambu pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 31 to one count of driving over the middle alcohol limit.

Police prosecutor Tiffany Moras told the court police had set up a static breath testing site on Reaney St, near the racecourse, when they noticed Jambu’s vehicle had stopped short of the site about 4.50pm.

When police approached and asked why he’d stopped, Jambu told them he was waiting for a friend.

After a positive breath test Jambu was taken to the mobile police facility on site where he blew a reading of 0.117.

Jambu told officers he had consumed about three cans of Great Northern beer and that he was on his way to his accommodation.

His lawyer Jess King told the court Jambu’s offending was “out of character” with no similar entries on his history.

Ms King told the court Jambu had been to the races and stopped drinking about 2pm that day but didn’t have much to eat.

The court heard Jambu didn’t feel intoxicated and thought he would be ok to drive.

Ms King told the court under legislation changes Jambu would be subject to interlock requirements when he gets his licence back.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert took into account Jambu’s plea of guilty and that it came at the earliest opportunity.

She told Jambu his decision to drive was “very foolish” and took into account his co-operation with police.

Jambu was fined $650 and was disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Brody Mason Figg, 19

Green P plater Figg had been out fishing with mates before he was pulled over at 7.43pm on Moores Creek Rd on September 29 with a positive alcohol reading roadside.

He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 31 to driving over the general alcohol limit.

Police prosecutor Tiffany Moras told the court the roadside breath test returned a reading of 0.081.

Figg told officers he had been fishing earlier that day and had consumed his last drink about two hours before the breath test.

Figg was taken to the Rockhampton Police Station for a secondary test which returned a reading of 0.061.

His lawyer Samantha Legrady told the court Figg had “succumbed to peer pressure” and drove some of his mates home.

Ms Legrady said Figg worked as a labourer and would have to rely on colleagues to help him get to and from work.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert took into account Figg’s plea of guilty and that it came at the earliest opportunity.

He was fined $350 and was disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Ricky James Ison-Bassett

Ison-Bassett was unlicensed and had a had a blood-alcohol-content (BAC) reading of .059 when he was intercepted driving along Kerrigan St, Rockhampton, on September 30 about 4.50pm.

He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 16 to drink driving and driving without a licence.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said checks revealed Ison-Bassett’s driver’s licence was demerit point suspended from August 30 until November 29.

Ison-Bassett told the court he was drinking at a mate’s place when some people rocked up and “started having a bit of a problem”.

“I jumped in my car and just went home,” he said.

“I knew I shouldn’t have driven but I wasn’t leaving my car there among these bloke’s fighting.

“I didn’t want my stuff being destroyed and I didn’t want to be involved.”

He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 9 months.

Traffic convictions were recorded.

Shannon Allen-John Steinhardt, 38

Shannon Allen-John Steinhardt.

Steinhardt had a BAC of .227 when he crashed his car on Wandal Rd, Rockhampton, on May 19.

He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 17 to driving without due care and attention and drink driving.

The court heard Steinhardt told police he was driving along Wandal Rd when he became distracted by his phone on the passenger’s seat.

When he looked back at the road, he saw he was driving towards a fence and hit a power pole, eventually coming to a stop on the side of the road.

Defence lawyer Samantha Legrady said this had been a huge wake up call for her client, who worked as an operations manager.

Ms Legrady said although it was a very high reading, her client claimed he “felt quite okay”.

“He knew he was under the influence but not to that extent,” she said.

“When he was talking to the police officer at the time they were both shocked at the reading at how high it was given the state he was in.”

Magistrate Grace Kahlert said Steinhardt “should not have been anywhere near a car, let alone driving”.

“You were lucky you didn’t hurt yourself or kill yourself or another member of the community,” she said.

Ms Kahlert said Steinhardt had been off the road for five months.

Steinhardt was fined $1800 and disqualified from driving for seven months.

Convictions were recorded.

Liam Jeffrey Chapman, 32

Chapman had methamphetamine, MDMA and marijuana in his system when he was intercepted driving along Park St, Rockhampton, on August 22.

Chapman, who is employed as a miner, pleaded guilty to the single charge in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 17

He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for one month.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Eric Leslie Deisel

Eric Leslie Deisel had consumed cocaine and methamphetamines at a party on the Sunshine Coast which were still in his system the next day when he was intercepted driving on the Bruce Highway at Eerwah Vale at 9.53am on July 30, 2023.

Deisel had consumed cocaine and methamphetamines at a party on the Sunshine Coast when he was intercepted by police the next day.

He was driving on the Bruce Highway at Eerwah Vale at 9.53am on July 30, 2023 and a test discovered the drugs were still in his system.

Deisel, who recently got a job at the mines in Emerald, pleaded guilty to one count of drug driving in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 6.

He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Vicky Wilson

Wilson had marijuana and methamphetamines in her system when she was intercepted driving on German Street, Norman Gardens, while holding a provisional licence at 8pm on August 6, 2023.

She pleaded guilty to one count of drug driving on October 9.

Wilson told the court she was now working but at the time, she was using drugs as pain killers.

She was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for three months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Tarma Lee Powell

Tarma Lee Powell had a BAC of .064 when she was intercepted driving on Yeppoon Road at Rockhampton on September 24 at 9pm.

Powell had a BAC of .064 when she was intercepted driving on Yeppoon Road at Rockhampton on September 24 at 9pm.

She pleaded guilty on October 9 to one count of drink driving and was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Yvonne Esther Chelepy, 52

Yvonne Esther Chelepy had a BAC of .062 when she was intercepted driving on Yaamba Road, Rockhampton, at 8pm on April 3.

Chelepy had a BAC of .062 when she was intercepted driving on Yaamba Road, Rockhampton, at 8pm on April 3.

She pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said Chelepy admitted to police she had drunk seven mid strength beers in 5.5 hours.

Defence lawyer Pierre Lammersdorf said his client, a grandmother of five, had been employed in the mining sector for the past three years as a cultural mine operator.

Chelepy was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for three months, but granted a restricted work licence for the disqualification period.

A traffic conviction was recorded.

Chantelle Simone Cochrane, 38

Chantelle Simone Cochrane, 38, was intercepted driving while her licence was disqualified by court order, and possessing drugs, on Pattimore Street, Kawana at 7pm on August 7.

Cochrane was intercepted driving while her licence was disqualified by court order, and possessing drugs, on Pattimore Street, Kawana at 7pm on August 7.

She pleaded guilty on October 9 to one count of disqualified driving and two of possessing drugs.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said police searched Cochrane’s vehicle and found two clip seal bags – one containing 0.1gm of methamphetamines and the other 4.8gm of marijuana.

He said she told police she knew she was disqualified from driving but wanted to see her newborn grandchild.

Defence lawyer Pierre Lammersdorf said his client works at a hardware store in customer service, stacking shelves and in the nursery.

He said drugs had been an issue for Cochrane since she was 14 and she has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder as the result of a very violent relationship.

Cochrane was sentenced to nine months’ prison with immediate parole release and placed on a 15-month probation order.

She was also disqualified from driving for a further two years and convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Drink drivers, drug drivers, disqualified drivers in Rockhampton court