Police targeted drink and drug driving over the Easter long weekend. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
Over the Easter Long Weekend, Murrumbidgee Highway Patrol and Murrumbidgee Police District conducted in excess of 5500 Random Breath Tests and more than 320 Random Drug Tests.
They have provided details of the following alleged offences from their operations.
Cannabis found on ‘aggressive’ elderly driver near Wamoon
At around 8:40 pm on Thursday (17 April), Police stopped a vehicle near Wamoon for a roadside breath test, which allegedly returned a positive result.
The male driver in his sixties was subsequently placed under arrest. Police say this caused the driver to become highly aggressive and argumentative towards police, refusing to get out of the driver’s seat.
The driver was eventually removed from the vehicle. While doing so, officers allegedly observed a clear resealable bag containing cannabis placed on the front passenger seat.
A subsequent search of the vehicle also located a large amount of cash.
The driver was taken to Leeton Police Station for a breath analysis, but he refused to submit to the test.
He was issued a court appearance notice for a number of offences, including driving a motor vehicle while his licence was suspended, not complying with the conditions of an interlock device, refusing to submit to a breath test and possessing a prohibited drug.
West Wyalong driver allegedly tests positive for drugs
At about 4:30 pm on Friday (18 April), a maroon Toyota LandCruiser utility driven by a male in his thirties was stopped on Neeld Street, West Wyalong, for random alcohol and drug testing.
The random breath test (for alcohol) returned a negative reading, however a roadside oral fluid test allegedly returned a positive detection to methylamphetamine.
The male was arrested and taken to West Wyalong for the purpose of a secondary oral fluid test. He was asked several questions relating to the consumption of illicit drugs and provided a sample of oral fluid for analysis. The sample was tested and allegedly returned a positive result for methylamphetamine.
The man was issued with a 24-hour prohibition from driving, with a sample to be further analysed prior to any court attendance notices being issued.
Goolgowi driver allegedly found to be more than twice the limit
At about 11:30 pm on Saturday (19 April), a male in his thirties was stopped on Kidman Way, Goolgowi, for a random breath test.
He underwent a roadside breath test which returned a reading of 0.155, more than three times the legal limit of 0.05.
The accused was arrested and taken to Griffith Police Station for a secondary breath analysis.
The driver submitted to a breath analysis, which allegedly returned a reading of 0.123 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. As a result, he was issued with an immediate licence suspension and a court attendance notice for a mid-range drink driving offence.
