Easter crackdown reveals deadly road habits with hundreds caught speeding or drink driving

Woman denies causing grievous bodily harm by negligent driving | TFS crews called to garage fire | Man in custody over an alleged armed robbery. LATEST POLICE NEWS >>

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Thursday April 8, 5.45pm:

A MIDLANDS woman has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm by negligent driving.

Stonor resident Eliza Jane Dorloff, 33, entered the plea in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday following a traffic accident at Oatlands on May 18 last year.

Tasmania Police said at the time a man had been seriously injured in the crash between a car and a bus on the Midland Highway.

Magistrate Peter Dixon adjourned the matter for contest mention on June 3.

Ms Dorloff was bailed to appear on that date.

Crews battle garage fire

Wednesday April 7, 7.20pm:

Firefighters are responding to a garage fire on Hobart’s Eastern Shore.

The structure fire on Burtonia Street, Rokeby, was first reported about 6.25pm.

Tasmania Fire Service crews from Hobart, Clarence and Rokeby are in attendance.

A garage fire in Rokeby sends plumes of smoke into the sky.

Man in custody over alleged armed hold-up

Wednesday April 7, 7pm:

A MAN is in police custody following an alleged attempted armed hold-up north of Hobart.

About 3pm on Wednesday, Tasmania Police received a report of a man acting suspiciously on Main Road, Moonah.

The man then entered a business, where police allege he produced a weapon and threatened a female staff member before demanding cash.

Two members of the public were in the store at the time.

Officers from Glenorchy Police were in the area because of the initial report and arrested the man, with police expected to lay charges on Wednesday evening.

No one was injured as a result of the incident.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Glenorchy Police on 131 444 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au.

Easter crackdown reveals deadly road habits

Tuesday April 6, 9.50pm:

ANOTHER crackdown on driver behaviour has revealed Tasmanians are still taking risks on our roads.

Tasmania Police conducted Operation Crossroads over the Easter period from April 1-6 in an attempt to quash irresponsible habits.

In that time there were three serious injury crashes and one fatal road incident.

Acting Inspector Justin Lawson congratulated most motorists on their responsible behaviour.

“It’s disappointing, however, to see the number of infringement notices issued over the Easter period and the number of people that were put at risk by driving behaviours that involve distraction,” he said.

The 4423 random drug and alcohol tests, of which 97 were oral fluid tests, resulted in 31 drink driving offences and 31 positive oral fluid tests.

There were also 632 speeding offences and 38 inattentive driving infringement notices.

Eleven people were issued with infringement notices for seat belt offences while 35 motorists were caught using mobile phones behind the wheel.

Acting Inspector Justin Lawson. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“Excessive speed and inattention are the two largest contributors to fatal and serious injury

crashes on our roads,” Acting Inspector Lawson said.

“I urge every driver and rider to slow down, obey the speed limit and remember that it’s not just your life you could be putting on the line.”

Over the Christmas-New Year holiday Operation Crossroads crackdown from December 21, 2020, to January 1, 2021, the 7693 random drug and alcohol tests conducted resulted in 45 drink driving offences and 62 positive oral fluid tests, and there were 795 speeding offences.