Named: 17 drink or drug-drivers face Biloela Magistrates Court

More than $9000 in fines has been issued as the alarming number of drivers being caught offending on rural Central Queensland roads continues. Here’s a list of those busted and what penalties they each copped.

Biloela region drink or drug-drivers.

These people pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court recently to either drink-driving or drug-driving offences recently.

January 19, Biloela Magistrates Court

Scott Edward Lang.

Scott Edward Lang, 48, was caught drink-driving while moving a car and trailer at a boat ramp at Baralaba on December 31, 2021.

The court heard Lang and his family were camping at the weir and Lang moved the car towing a boat a short distance and had no intention of driving from the camping area.

He blew a reading of .072.

With one previous offence of this sort from 2018, the stock manager was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Jack David Belshaw, 25, was caught driving with methamphetamines in his system on the Dawson Highway at Mount Murchison on October 14, 2021.

With no previous offending of this kind on his history, Belshaw, who resides at Bundaberg and was in Biloela for work, was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Joel Anthony Rose, 35, failed to provide a specimen of breath twice, once roadside and once at the police station, after he was pulled over at Biloela on December 5, 2021.

Rose came to the attention of police about 1.30am on Gladstone Road and officers saw his vehicle driving erratically and run up a concrete gutter.

After pleading guilty to the two offences of failing to provide a specimen of breath, Rose was fined $1400 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Johnathon James Hopkins.

Johnathon James Hopkins, 41, was caught driving with cannabis in his system on Callide Street at Biloela on December 8.

With no previous offending of this sort on his history, Hopkins was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Tori Clarissa Petterson, 28, blew a reading of .129 after she was caught drink-driving at Moura on January 10, 2022.

Petterson told Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale she was “super, super remorseful” and with no similar offending on her history, she was fined $650 and disqualified from driving for five months.

Jonathon David Evans, 28, was caught driving with cannabis in his system on Callide Street at Biloela on December 8, 2021.

With no previous offending of this sort, Evans was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

P-plater Rohan James Macbeath, 26, was caught driving with cannabis in his system on the Dawson Highway, en route to Theodore, on November 28, 2021.

The court heard Macbeath had sought help through drug counselling since his offending.

With no history, Macbeath was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Cherie Betty-Ann Rideout.

Cherie Betty-Anne Rideout, 51, blew a reading of .054 after she was tested on the Burnett Highway at Thangool on December 15, 2021.

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

Luke Alexander Crole, 25, was caught driving with cannabis in his system on the Leichhardt Highway on August 20, 2021.

Police also conducted a search of his vehicle and found 4g of cannabis and a bong.

Crole pleaded guilty to drug-driving, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing drug utensils.

With no offences of this sort on his traffic history and no criminal history, Crole was fined $1100 and disqualified from driving for three months.

No criminal conviction was recorded.

Joseph Arthur Cook, 38, had cannabis in his system when police tested him on State Farm Road at Biloela on October 2, 2021.

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

A breathalyser used for a random breath test.

January 12, Biloela Magistrates Court

Ernest Jack Wilkie, 23, was caught drink-driving on the Capricorn Highway at Alpha on the morning of June 27, 2021.

He returned a blood alcohol reading of .057.

In court on January 12, 2022, Wilkie’s solicitor Madison Kurtz said Wilkie, a contract grain harvester, had been drinking at the Alpha races the day before police caught him.

With no history of a similar nature, Wilkie was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Dane James Campbell, 37, blew a reading of .144 after police stopped him at Theodore on November 19, 2021.

With no offending of this kind in the past five years, Campbell was fined $750 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Stuart Edward Mcginniss, 32, was caught drink-driving at Collinsville on September 17, 2021.

He returned a blood alcohol reading of .059.

With no offending of this sort in the past five years, the self-employed contractor was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Mcginniss successfully applied for a restricted work licence.

Police conducting an RBT style operation. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

December 8, 2021, Biloela Magistrates Court

Shane Ashley Ward, 33, was caught drink-driving on the Leichhardt Highway on the morning of November 17.

Ward returned a reading of .113.

With previous similar offending on his history but nothing in the past five years, Ward was fined $650 and disqualified from driving for five months.

He successfully applied for a restricted driver’s licence for his job as a mechanic for RACQ.

Tahnee Patricia Maclean, 34, blew a reading of .070 after she was pulled over on the Baralaba-Woorabinda Road on October 31.

With no history of this sort, Maclean was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Codey Lee Mellor, 28, was caught driving with methamphetamines in his system on October 2.

Police intercepted Mellor on the Leichhardt Highway at Banana about 6.50pm.

The court heard that Mellor was a labourer who had been working on the Rookwood Weir project until that worked stopped due to excess rain.

The court was told this was Mellor’s third offence of this sort in the past five years.

Mellor was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for seven months.

Casey Lee Michael Hare, 30, was unlicensed when he was caught driving over the no alcohol limit at Theodore on November 20.

Hare blew .030 and his licence had expired on November 13.

Hare told the court he was not aware that his licence had expired.

He was fined $450 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Originally published as Named: 17 drink or drug-drivers face Biloela Magistrates Court