10 March 2021

Learner driver under the influence was one of 101 infringements during long weekend

| Michael Weaver
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Police car behind police tape.

Police issued 101 infringements to motorists in the ACT during the Canberra Day long weekend. Photo: File.

A learner driver behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol, and another man travelling at almost 150km/h were two of 101 infringements issued by police during the Canberra Day long weekend.

ACT Policing says it apprehended several motorists who should not have been driving between Friday, 5 March, and Monday, 8 March.

The first driver was a 19-year-old male learner, from Stirling, who was stopped after his silver BMW was observed driving with no headlights on at about 12:55 am on Saturday, 6 March, on Northbourne Avenue in the city.

The learner driver returned an alcohol reading of 0.059 – a learner driver is subject to a 0.00 limit. Further investigation revealed he had been issued an Immediate Suspension Notice for drink-driving in December 2020.

The man was issued with a new Immediate Suspension Notice, which resulted in the suspension of his licence for another 90 days.

He will be charged with level 2 drink-driving, driving while licence suspended, driving while registration suspended, being an unaccompanied learner, not displaying L-plates, and driving without headlights turned on.

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The second incident occurred at about 11:00 pm on Saturday, 6 March, when police observed a red hatchback travelling at speed on Tuggeranong Parkway in Kambah. When police caught up with the vehicle at the Glenloch Interchange, they recorded its speed at 149km/h in the 90km/h zone.

After the vehicle stopped for police on Gordon Road, Acton, the 20-year-old female driver from Gordon returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.161.

She was released from custody and will be summonsed to face ACT Magistrates Court in April on charges including level 4 drink-driving, driving under the influence, and aggravated dangerous driving.

The same woman was arrested again after police responded to a report of a fight at a city nightclub at about 1:15 am on Sunday, 7 March.

She will face court in April charged with failing to comply with an exclusion direction, possession of a drug of dependence, and resisting a Territory public official.

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