Extreme Drink Driving Cases

Drink driving is the most common criminal offence before the courts each year, making up roughly 20% of all cases in NSW; with mid range drink driving taking the top spot as the state’s most detected criminal offence.

While many drivers don’t deliberately set out to break the law, there are also those who become so intoxicated before getting behind the wheel that they pose a grave danger to themselves and other road users.

10 Times Over Limit

Queensland woman Angela Bisson was found passed-out on her steering wheel last month. She was taken to hospital and returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.48 – almost ten times over the legal limit.

This is believed to be the highest blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of anyone charged with drink driving in Australia – a level that doctors say could easily have killed her.

Citizen’s Arrest Stops Drunk Driver

Earlier this week, a NSW man travelling in Queensland made headlines for his dangerous manner of driving.

Shortly after getting behind the wheel, he crashed into a parked station wagon. Undeterred, he continued driving and had another crash, this time hitting a stationary truck. He nevertheless persevered, veered onto the wrong side of the road and crashed into the gutter.

Observing the incident, a nearby witness performed a citizen’s arrest on the man – detaining him until police arrived.

Fortunately, the man sustained only minor injuries and no one else was injured, although several vehicles were damaged.

Tragic Consequences of Drink Driving

24-year-old Miami woman Mila Dago sent several text messages to her ex boyfriend before getting behind the wheel drunk. The messages included “driving drunk woo”, “I’ll be dead thanks to you”, and “Lata.”

Just three minutes later, she drove through a red light and crashed into a pickup truck, killing her 22-year-old passenger. Ms Dago’s BAC was found to be 0.178.

She was sentences to four years imprisonment last month, followed by a period of 10 years of probation and community service. The sentence is the mandatory minimum that can be imposed under Florida state laws for the offence.

Just Waiting for a Mate

A list of extreme drink drivers would not be complete without mentioning Clinton, the famous face behind the ‘I’m just waiting for a mate’ video.

For those who need a reminder, police found Clinton sitting in the driver’s seat of a car which appeared to have just crashed. Police had been alerted to the incident by witnesses who reported a car doing burnouts. But upon arrival, Clinton assured police that he had not been driving, but was simply ‘waiting for a mate.’

Clinton inspired several memes and Facebook fan pages – one of which has almost 40,000 likes.

Charged with Drink Driving?

If you have been charged with drink driving, you are certainly not alone – as thousands are charged with the offence every year. However, it’s important to keep calm and get legal advice. Even a low-range PCA can result in a criminal conviction and licence disqualification, so it’s important to take the case seriously, and do everything required to put yourself in the best position before the court.

An experienced, specialist traffic lawyer will be able to advise you about your options, including any defences, and the best way forward. If you wish to plead guilty, they will guide you on the steps to take to maximise your chances of being treated leniently by the magistrate, and even potentially avoiding a criminal record and licence disqualification altogether.