A 43 year-old Fraser man was among a number of drink drivers caught between 8 and 15 November, recording the highest Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) reading for a 0.02 limit of 0.204 – ten times over the limit.
ACT Policing conducted more than 600 breath tests over the period in which 49 returned positive results, with one driver having five previous convictions for drink driving and another, apprehended for the offence for the third time, recording 0.269, the highest reading for the week.
The 43-year-old man was also arrested for being unlicensed, driving an unregistered vehicle and having no third party insurance.
The initial two weeks of the anti-drink driving campaign has resulted in 98 drivers being apprehended. This compares poorly with previous months (the month of September resulting in 98 positive tests and October 113).
Superintendent Mark Colbran, of Traffic Operations, said he was disappointed with the results seen in November so far which also included other dangerous driving behaviours.
“Just because drink driving is the area of focus during November and December it does not mean that police will not be targeting other dangerous driving behaviours, including unregistered cars and unlicensed driving using our RAPID number plate recognition system,” he said.
A 19-year-old male provisional licence holder from Tuggeranong was caught driving his turbocharged Commodore sedan at 153km/h down Hindmarsh Drive at the weekend, in an 80km/h sign-posted speed limit. The driver was fined $1,800 and lost six demerit points off his licence.
And approximately 50 cars were suspected to have been involved in illegal street/drag racing on Tidbinbilla Road last Thursday night (November 11). Nine cars were defected, with one vehicle towed away due to being unregistered and having no third party insurance. Another car was found to be fitted with stolen rims and tyres, which were seized by police.
“We also call on the community to behave responsibly on our roads and endorse the fact that road safety is not just the job of police, it is everyone’s responsibility. Leading up to Christmas, this is a timely reminder that if you do the wrong thing on the road, we are out in force to catch you, regardless of who you are, for your sake and that of the community,” Supt Colbran added.
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2. All the cool kids are doing it now:
Less than 24 hours after a car crashed through the wall of an Isabella Plains house, ACT Policing responded to a second incident in which a truck collided with a home in Spence.
About 1pm yesterday (Wednesday November 17) an 8-tonne Isuzu tip truck has rolled down Bennet Street, Spence, into the front of a home, causing only minor damage to the brick work.
No one was inside the home nor was anyone injured in the incident. The cost of the damage to the house is unknown at this stage.
ACT Fire Brigade officers attended the scene to assess the structural damage to the house.
The driver of the truck is currently assisting police with their investigation however at this stage it appears the park brake may not have been applied to the full extent.
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Police are seeking witnesses to a collision which occurred on Saturday morning (November 13) in Evatt.
About 11am a 73-year-old male was driving along Copland Drive in Evatt when his car, a silver Hyundai Elantra, veered off the road hitting a tree. The male sustained injuries that were not considered life threatening at the time and he was transported to The Canberra Hospital. Unfortunately the man died three days later (November 16).
Police are appealing for any witnesses who have not yet contacted police and may have witnessed the collision or the circumstances leading up to the collision to contact ACT Policing on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The ACT Policing Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Team (CIRT) is investigating the collision. At this stage the death will not be added to this year’s road toll which stands at 18.
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ACT Policing has apprehended the same unlicensed driver for drink-driving twice within a six-hour period today (Thursday, November 18).
Around 7.40am today, Police Operations received notification that a heavily intoxicated man had arrived at the Ainslie shops in a blue Subaru. A Traffic Operations member attended the location a short time later and took a 31-year-old man from Evatt into custody. Upon further testing, the alleged offender returned a high-range Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.234.
The man was released into the custody of his mother this morning but shortly after leaving as a passenger in his mother’s car, fled with the keys to his car in his possession.
Police maintained observation of the Subaru at the Ainslie shops until called away to another task. However, they were then alerted by a member of the public that the vehicle had left the Ainslie shops.
A number of police patrols were despatched to the area, and the Subaru was seen speeding up the Barton Highway. Around 1.20pm, the car was located on Jeanne Young Circuit, in McKellar, with the 31-year-old driver a short distance away.
The alleged offender was then arrested and conveyed to City Police Station, where he subsequently recorded a BAC of 0.194. He is currently being held in the ACT Watch House. He is expected to be charged with two counts of high-range drink driving, two counts of being an unlicensed driver and one of providing false details to police.