Police described a woman they arrested for high-range drink driving as being incoherent at times and being unable to walk in a straight line at the police station.
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Police arrested Debra Ann Russell, 57, of Quinlan Run after finding her trying to start her car at Portland after receiving a report at 12.29am on April 9, of a car swerving across the road on the Great Western Highway at Mount Lambie.
Russell was represented in Orange Local Court on Monday by solicitor Matthew Savage and was sentenced to 12 months of good behaviour and was disqualified from driving for six months, back dated to April 9.
Magistrate Terry Lucas said she had a high-range blood alcohol reading of 0.150 and also ordered her to have an interlock device fitted in her car for 24 months, once she gets her licence back.
“Having read the facts I’m glad you are still alive and [so are] other road users,” Mr Lucas said.
According to the police facts, police initially saw Russell’s car parked in Wolgan Road, Portland at 2.25am with the parking lights on.
At 3.12am they saw the car facing the opposite direction while stopped on the other side of the road and the front driver’s side tyre was flat with the rim resting on the road.
Because they noticed Russell was trying to start the car they approached her, opened the car door to speak to her and realised she had been drinking.
“She was not spoken to on the first occasion that the police observed her, she was not seen to be intoxicated at that time,” Mr Savage said.
He said since the offense took place and Russell’s licence was suspended she had completed the Traffic Offenders Intervention Program.
Mr Savage said she was also functioning well in society and had a responsible job but when stressed previously she turned to alcohol.
“She now realises the extra danger she caused to the community in these matters,” he said.
According to the police facts, Russell was as co-operative as she could be with police and told them she was on her way to Newcastle.
However, when police asked her where she was she thought she was in Molong and told them she’d never heard of Portland.
According to police facts, Russell appeared intoxicated and admitted to having been drinking wine at home at 6pm that night and she also had a Valium tablet.
