Journalist Stefanie Acworth crashed into Lismore bridge while highly intoxicated

A Queensland travel journalist who drove into a NSW bridge and urinated on a kerb while she was highly intoxicated failed to face court. Now a warrant is out for her arrest.

A warrant is out for Acworth’s arrest. Picture: Instagram/Stefanie_Ash

A Sunshine Coast travel journalist who crashed her car into a Northern Rivers bridge and urinated on a kerb while she was highly intoxicated is now subject to a bench warrant after she failed to attend court.

Social media influencer Stefanie Acworth failed to front Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to high range drink driving and driving with a cancelled licence following a bizarre incident in NSW’s northern rivers.

Acworth, 38, has more than 35,000 followers on Instagram and is the editor of the Stay Awhile travel magazine, which showcases places to stay in Australia and New Zealand.

Magistrate Susan McIntyre convicted the Coolum Beach woman of both offences in her absence and issued a bench warrant to bring her before a court for sentencing.

Court documents state patrolling police officers were flagged down by a witness who told them a Suzuki had crashed into Robert White Bridge at Lismore about 9.30pm on October 23.

Coolum Beach travel journalist offended in Northern NSW. Picture: Instagram/Stefanie_Ash

Acworth then hopped out of the car and urinated on the kerb, the witness told police.

Police subsequently pulled Acworth over along Bridge St and noticed the front passenger side of her car had been damaged, documents continued.

Acworth told police she recently returned to Australia from Bali. Picture: Instagram/Stefanie_Ash

Acworth refused to give officers her driver’s licence or any form of identification, before she told them her name was Stefanie Ash.

She was given a roadside breath test and returned a high-range reading of 0.225 – more than four times the legal alcohol limit.

Court documents state Acworth then tried to hide her handbag when she was arrested and taken to Lismore police station.

The journalist told officers she was an alcoholic and had recently returned to Australia after previously living in Bali.

Acworth did not believe her behaviour was serious, police facts state.

On Wednesday well after the court date had passed and the bench warrant had been issued, Acworth was advertising a winter retreat stay giveaway in collaboration with her magazine on Instagram.

In a recent Instagram post, Acworth described herself as “travelling Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand for a living”, and launched her most recent magazine edition in March.

The magazine is described as “an independent print publication exploring unique and experience-led hotels, tiny homes, beach retreats and cabins in Australia and New Zealand”.

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Originally published as Journalist Stefanie Acworth crashed into Lismore bridge while highly intoxicated