Melissa Maree Pascoe pleads guilty to middle range drink driving after blowing 0.111 after crashing co-workers car

A mum caught with an alcohol reading of 0.111 on a Wednesday night has been told it’s lucky no one else was hurt after she crashed her co-workers car, a court has been told.

A Toowoomba mother was more than two times over the alcohol limit when she crashed her co-worker’s car and led to her pleading with a magistrate to keep her licence.

About 7pm on Wednesday, September 21, police were called to a single vehicle car crash on the New England Highway in Harlaxton after Melissa Maree Pascoe crashed a white Toyota coupe into a ditch, the Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Police spoke with a witness that claimed the vehicle swerved in and out of lanes before crashing on the side of the road, where Pascoe and a male occupant were found inside, police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb said.

Melissa Maree Pascoe was charged with one count of drink driving after returning an alcohol reading of 0.111 on September 21, 2022.

“The defendant made admissions to the witness to drinking prior to the crash and the witness further stated the defendant said she wanted to drive the crashed vehicle to the pub nearby to get another vehicle to drive that home,” he said.

“The witness has then used his vehicle to block the crashed vehicle from driving from the scene.”

Pascoe, 40, returned a roadside alcohol reading of 0.111 and was detained by police.

Mr Brewster-Webb told the court Pascoe had admitted to police about drinking earlier in the day at a nearby pub in celebration of a co-worker’s last day.

From there, Pascoe was asked to drive a co-worker home, claiming he was “too drunk to drive”, the court heard

Toowoomba Courthouse in Hume St

“It was an error in my judgment, a bad error, and I feel terrible,” Pascoe said.

Pascoe, who works as an operations manager for a Toowoomba carpet business, represented herself in court on October 12, where she pleaded guilty and begged with Judge Clare Kelly to authorise a restricted work licence, claiming she would lose her employment if she was unable to drive.

“I know I’ve done the wrong thing, (but) I don’t want to lose my job,” she said.

“I am a sole income provider for my family … and my partner doesn’t drive.

“I’m sorry for what I’ve done … and I give you my word you won’t see me back.”

Judge Kelly said she took into account Pascoe’s financial situation, and the claims “poor visibility and not being familiar with the road (were) contributing factors to the crash”.

“It’s obviously a very positive thing that there was no other injury to yourself or to anyone else or any other vehicle involved in that crash,” she said.

“You’ve put yourself at risk in that crash and the other person in that vehicle at risk, as well as other drivers potentially.”

Pascoe was fined $600 and was disqualified from driving for five months.

However, a restricted work licence was granted to Pascoe to be used for strictly work purposes only between the hours of 5am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and she must maintain a log book.

No conviction was recorded.