Sunshine Coast drink or drug drivers named – list
From a Sunshine Coast woman who almost hit road workers while more than four times the legal limit to a father on meth avoiding police, here are 26 Sunshine Coast drink or drug drivers. FULL LIST
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A large number of drivers have faced Sunshine Coast courts over the past 12 months for getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
So far this year, Queensland Police statistics revealed there had been 1,188 drink driving offences on the Sunshine Coast.
There were a total of 1,980 drink driving offences in the region last year.
There have been plenty of high blood alcohol readings, with the below list highlighting those that were at least double the legal limit.
A number of Coast drivers have also faced courts for testing positive to methamphetamine or marijuana.
Here are 26 of the Sunshine Coast’s drivers involved in either drink- or drug- driving offences:
DRINK DRIVERS
Talea Margaret Anne Szabo – 0.190 reading
Talea Margaret Anne Szabo, 24, blew 0.190 after police saw she had parked on the median strip at the intersection of Maroochydore Road and Pike Street at Kunda Park about 11.30pm on May 22.
She faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, June 14.
The fashion marketing student said she had consumed about 20 vodka mixes while drinking with friends on the day of Big Pineapple Festival.
She was fined $1000, disqualified from driving for nine months and a conviction was recorded.
Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said if Szabo hadn’t shown to the court a high level of remorse, having completed the drink driving program and providing glowing character references, she would have been looking at a higher disqualification period.
Sam Beaven – 0.134 reading
Sam Beaven, 33, was convicted of his fourth drink driving offence in June.
The tradesman blew 0.134 after being stopped by police on Elizabeth St in Coolum on May 29.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, June 14.
Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said it was time Beaven started “showing a bit more maturity” after he was caught driving more than two-and-a-half times over the legal limit.
Beaven was convicted and fined $800.
He was also disqualified from driving for eight months.
James William Stinson – 0.134 reading
James William Stinson, 48, was charged with drink driving after crashing his car into his neighbour’s retaining wall on Suncoast Beach Road at Mount Coolum.
Stinson told police he’d been driving “a little fast” when he lost control coming around a corner and went into his neighbour’s yard about 7pm on May 20.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, June 14.
The chef said he’d drunk three cans of beer before the incident, which resulted in a positive blood alcohol reading of 0.134.
The court heard Stinson’s car was written off after he did $13,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.
He was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified from driving for six months.
Emanual Ian Stobbs – 0.101 reading
The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to drink driving at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, June 14.
The court heard surf lifesavers had called police after they discovered a car had crashed on a beach access lane on North Shore Road at Twin Waters about 10am on May 24.
The vehicle had blocked their access to the beach.
Stobbs, who was found standing next to the car with the keys in his hand, had told police he’d driven down the access lane to check out the beach.
He said he crashed into a fence and a council sign on his way back, which resulted in his car getting bogged in the sand.
He blew 0.101 after telling police he’d had two six packs of beer and some wine.
He was convicted, fined $500 and disqualified from driving for five months.
Alexander Scott Tollis – 0.141 reading
The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol in Coolum Beach at Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July 26.
Police prosecutor Rebecca Lambert said officers had seen Tollis in the driver’s seat of a car parked in Coolum Beach Hotel car park with the key in the ignition.
He later recorded a breath analysis of 0.141.
The provisional licence holder said he had no plans to drive the car but was sitting in the driver’s seat while he charged his phone before he found a way to get home.
Tollis was convicted and fined $500.
He also was disqualified from driving for five months.
Tollis said he would most likely lose his job as a plumbing apprentice but accepted the consequences.
Anthony John Scholz Doblow – 0.133
The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to driving over the middle drink driving limit but not over the higher level about 1am on June 17 on Yandina Coolum Road at Coolum.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
Doblow told police he’d been drinking before he got behind the wheel.
The Coolum man recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.133.
He was convicted, disqualified from driving for six months and fined $600.
John Mathew Derschow – 0.170
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of liquor and driving without ever holding a licence on Scholars Drive on April 8.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
The court heard Derschow had been driving his friend’s car when he drove through a stop sign and hit a tree.
The Sippy Downs man later recorded a blood alcohol reading of0.170.
Derschow said he “never got around” to applying for a driver‘s licence and usually used public transport but “that night made a stupid mistake”.
He was convicted, fined $500 and disqualified from driving for 10 months.
Debra Lee Anstey – 0.216
Debra Lee Anstey forced traffic controllers to move out of the way of her oncoming car as she swerved into a closed section of the road while drink driving.
The 62-year-old pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore Magistrate’s Court in June to driving under the influence and dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
The court heard Anstey had been driving along Old Maroochydore Road, Forest Glen when she drove through a red light to avoid a head on collision.
Police prosecutor Mark Burrell said Anstey had then continued to swerve over double white lines and into a section of closed road where traffic workers were standing, forcing them to quickly move to avoid getting hit by the oncoming car.
Anstey pulled her car over and later recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.216 when police attended the scene.
Anstey was convicted and sentenced to 12-month imprisonment, which will be served concurrently as a wholly suspended sentence for two years from June 8.
She was also fined $800 and disqualified from driving for a total of 20 months for the two offences, which was backdated two months since she lost her licence following the incident.
Ebony Lee Daniel – 0.178 reading
The Landsborough woman had her suspended sentences for drink driving offences revoked after going on a 24-hour bender.
Ebony Lee Daniel, 32, appeared before the Caloundra Magistrates Court in May for sentencing after pleading guilty to a high range drink driving offence, driving disqualified and without a license, driving an unregistered vehicle and stealing.
Police prosecutor Stephen Potter said officers had found Daniel leaving a car parked outside a Landsborough home after being tipped off she’d been drinking for 24-hours straight on January 4, 2021.
Daniel’s partner had called the police to report she had been drink driving and had damaged her car before getting it towed back to the house.
Daniel was breathalysed and recorded a 0.178 reading.
She told the court the day of the offending she had been in a “downward spiral” after finding out about a family member’s cancer diagnosis and had decided to drink.
Daniel, who had been serving two suspended sentences for similar offences, was sentenced to concurrent nine months imprisonment.
Magistrate Rodney Madsen activated the two suspended sentences, which were nine months and six months respectively.
She also was convicted for stealing $600 from a pub in April 2021 and ordered to repay the establishment what she stole.
Jamie Lee Tupper – 0.149 reading
The 33-year-old blew 0.149 after being stopped on University Way and Sippy Downs about 1am earlier this year.
The mother-of-three pleaded guilty to drink driving and was fined $600.
She was disqualified from driving for four months and Magistrate Chris Callaghan granted her a work licence between 6am and 11pm.
No conviction was recorded.
Lisa June Devereaux – 0.225 reading
The Coast childcare worker, who was caught drink driving, tried to run from police and ended up in a violent struggle with officers.
Lisa June Devereaux pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court in September last year to driving under the influence of liquor on July 31 and obstructing police on August 1.
Police prosecutor Amanda Brewer said Devereaux attracted police attention while weaving back and forth between lanes while heading south on the Bruce Highway at Forest Glen.
She said the 37-year-old childcare director later blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.225 before she attempted to run from police a 12:03am on August 1.
Devereaux was sentenced to 40 hours community service for obstructing police.
She was also fined her $1000 and disqualified her from driving for nine months.
No conviction was recorded.
Casey Jay Welch – 0.195 reading
The 33-year-old performed a burnout while close to four times the legal limit and crashed into a tree and flipped the car.
Casey Jay Welch pleaded guilty on July 6 last year to three charges in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, including drink driving and driving without due care and attention.
Police prosecutor Mark Burrell told the court that at 7.25pm on January 10, Coolum police attended a single car crash on Boundary Crescent, Marcoola.
The court heard Welch admitted to drinking heavily prior to driving and decided he was the most sober to drive home.
Welch was breathalysed and returned a reading of 0.195.
The court also heard that Welch was unlicensed at the time.
He was fined $1500 and disqualified him from driving for 15 months, with convictions recorded.
Cindy Lebrun – 0.265 reading
The Noosa Heads woman, who was caught drink driving more than five times the legal limit, escaped court without a recorded conviction.
Cindy Lebrun, 42, recorded a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.265 at Noosaville.
Ms Lebrun was sentenced at the Noosa Magistrates Court in June last year to six months’ probation and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
No conviction was recorded.
Leesa Endersby – 0.203 reading
The 56-year-old Sunshine Beach woman recorded a blood-alcohol content reading of more than four times the legal limit.
She blew 0.203 at Sunrise Beach.
She faced Noosa Magistrates Court in June last year and was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Natasha Jane Saville – 0.148 reading
The 43-year-old mum was caught at close to three times the limit at a fast food drive through.
Natasha Jane Saville fronted Caloundra Magistrates Court in June last year via telephone and pleaded guilty to one charge of drink driving.
Sergeant Phillip Stephens told the court that on May 15 at 3.15am, police observed her stationary in her vehicle in the McDonald’s drive through at Currimundi.
The court heard Saville, a brand influencer and mobile spray tanning business owner, was eating chips with her car still running and blocking traffic.
After questioning whether she had consumed any alcohol that night, she replied that she had drunk three glasses of wine.
She was breathalysed and returned a reading of 0.148.
Saville was fined $750 and disqualified from driving for five months.
A conviction was recorded.
DRUG DRIVERS
Cayden Brian King
The 38-year-old Mooloolaba man pleaded guilty to driving with a drug present in his system on the Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise on April 19.
He appeared at Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
King had smoked marijuana prior to driving, the court heard.
He was granted a work licence to allow him to continue operating his painting business.
He was convicted, fined $400 and disqualified from driving for two months.
Nathan Charles Morgan
Morgan pleaded guilty to driving on Nambour Connection Road at Yandina while his licence was suspended and with a drug present in his saliva on May 8.
The Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July heard the 42-year-old, who taught Indigenous studies to children across the Sunshine Coast, had been at a funeral the day before where he had smoked marijuana.
He was convicted, disqualified from driving for four months and fined $300.
Benjamin Robert Lord
The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to driving on a provisional licence with marijuana in his system at Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
The court heard Lord, who had a medical prescription for cannabis, had been stopped for a roadside drug test on April 11 while driving on Sunshine Coast Motorway at Sippy Downs.
He told the court he now understood the length of time cannabis could stay in the system but “there was a lot of (red tape)”.
He was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified for six months from driving.
Marc Jeffery Sutherland
The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving after he was stopped by police for a roadside drug test at Elizabeth Street, Coolum Beach, about 1.30pm on March 15.
He tested positive for marijuana.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
Sutherland, who takes medical marijuana, said he now “realised it’s a risk” to drive after taking his medication.
He was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified from driving for nine months.
Matthew James Doyle
The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without a licence, having been disqualified because of a high speed suspension.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
The chef said he regretted what he’d done and that he had “made a mistake” having not known about the disqualification.
He was convicted, fined $880 and disqualified from driving for nine months.
Latham James Alnajjar
The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving after he tested positive for marijuana in his system.
He faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
Police stopped Alnajjar about 8pm on May 3 while he was driving on Sunshine Coast Motorway, Pacific Paradise.
The court heard the electrician and yoga teacher had accumulated 94 demerit points over a four-year period, despite referring to himself as “a good driver”.
He was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified for a further two months from driving.
Nicole Ann Kimmich
The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving while holding a provisional license.
She faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
Kimmich tested positive for having methamphetamine and marijuana in her system when she was stopped by police at 11.20am on March 15 on Maroochydore Road, Maroochydore.
The court hear Kimmich had told police she had been at a party a few days before the incident and believed her drink had been spiked.
She was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified for three months.
April Diana Howard
The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving about 4.30pm on May 23 on Nicklin Way.
She faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July.
She had told police at the time she had recently used methamphetamine but “didn’t realise” the drug would still be in her system.
She was convicted, fined $600 and disqualified from driving for three months.
Aaron James Reardon
Reardon, 21, pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without a licence on Ilkley Road, Tanawha, on May 22.
The court heard Reardon had a lengthy traffic history and had never renewed his licence after previously losing it for similar offences.
He was convicted, fined $900 and disqualified from driving for 13 months.
Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist warned Reardon “if you really want to see what the inside of Arthur Gorrie (prison) is, you drive again”.
Gary Anthony Barker
The father led a wild 22km police chase across the Coast while high on ice and armed.
The removalist, on August 28, 2019, was spooked by a police car while he was pulling out of a shopping centre carpark at Caloundra in a stolen car.
The 38-year-old was on parole at the time.
Tyre spikes were deployed by police as Barker led officers on a 22km chase to Currimundi.
Maroochydore District Court heard he drove through seven red traffic lights, exceeded speeds of 100km/h in residential areas, and damaged four other cars as he sideswiped them.
Police searched the car and found a shortened rifle, ammunition, 5g of marijuana, and diazepam tablets.
A blood test revealed Barker had methamphetamine in his system as well as benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine.
Barker’s parole was suspended the next day and he was returned to prison.
He appeared by video link from Woodford Correctional Centre in June last year to plead guilty to 10 charges including dangerously operating a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
Barker was jailed for three years and three months which was the head sentence for dangerously operating a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
He was eligible for parole on June 19, 2021.
Ximone Lilly Daniels
The P-plater sped at more than 40km/h over the limit and lead police on a pursuit in a stolen car.
The 20-year-old was on probation when her crime spree began on January 31 last year.
Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard in June last year she broke into a car at Tewantin and stole $8.
Things escalated the next day when she stole a car from Tewantin and was seen speeding at 125km/h in an 80km/h zone at Yandina.
Police prosecutor Stu Lydford said Daniels failed to stop when police attempted to pull her over.
He said Daniels had continued for several kilometres with police in pursuit.
When she was eventually intercepted at Nambour, a drug test found she was driving with marijuana in her system.
She appeared by video link to plead guilty to 10 charges including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, evasion, and operate a vehicle dangerously- excessively speeding.
She had spent 100 days in pre-sentence custody.
She was given a head sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment, with immediate parole, for the dangerous operation of a vehicle.
Daniels was disqualified from driving for a total of two-and-a-half years.
She was also fined $300 for driving with a drug in her system.
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