Crash driver couldn’t believe high reading

A SOUTHBROOK woman had been surprised that she was more than three times over the legal alcohol limit after crashing her car into a fence, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court emergency services had been called to a crash of a Toyota Hilux into a fence near the intersection of Westbrook Rd and Rowbotham Rd near Westbrook about 10.30pm, November 2.

The driver, Belinda Hannah Petersen, had blown a breath/ alcohol reading of 0.162, she said.

The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under the influence of liquor.

Her solicitor Nick Smith (Bernays Lawyers) told the court his client had been to a girls day out but instructed she hadn’t had any alcohol for two hours prior to the incident and she had had a cup of tea before driving and thought she was fine.

His client couldn’t believe she recorded such a high reading, Mr Smith submitted.

His client was very community minded and organised charity events and had a mobile coffee caravan and any loss of licence would impact on her financially, he said.

Taking into account Petersen’s otherwise good traffic record, Magistrate Viviana Keegan ordered no conviction be recorded but fined her $1000 and disqualified her from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for the mandatory minimum of six months.