A WOMAN caught drinking vodka as she drove towards Bathurst has been disqualified from driving for one year and fined $900.
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Petra Anne Williams, 59, of Drummoyne, appeared before magistrate Michael Allen in Bathurst Local Court where she pleaded guilty to a high range PCA charge.
Police facts tendered to the court told how at about 10am on March 18 this year, Williams was driving her Corolla towards Bathurst en route to Orange for a job interview.
At this time she began drinking vodka from an unknown receptacle inside the car.
She came to the attention of another driver on the Great Western Highway near Pikes Lane, Rydal, because she was indicating to turn left but then turned right.
The witness then observed Williams swerving over lanes of traffic and crossing fog lines, so the witness contacted police.
Police were travelling to the location when the witness again phoned them to say the car driven by Williams had pulled over on the side of the road near Glanmire on the Great Western Highway.
When police arrived shortly after, they found Williams sitting in the vehicle with the engine still running.
They knocked on the driver’s window and she wound it down.
Police could immediately smell liquor inside the car and noticed Williams was sweating profusely.
She told police she had pulled over to call someone, adding she was on her way to Orange for a job interview.
She admitted to police she had consumed an unknown amount of alcohol.
A roadside breath test returned a positive result, and police informed her she was under arrest for the purpose of a breath analysis, which would be carried out at the Bathurst Police Station.
She told police, “No, I just want to go” and reached in the direction of the ignition, so police reached in through the open window and removed the car’s keys.
Williams was arrested and conveyed to Bathurst Police Station where the breath analysis was carried out. The test returned a reading of 0.193, placing Williams in the high range category.
While at the police station Williams continually told police, “I just want to go” and “I want my husband now”.
Mr Allen convicted Williams, disqualifying her from driving for 12 months, with Section 225(3) of the Roads and Traffic Act to apply.
She was also fined $900.
