A KERANG woman has been slammed by local police and the state’s top road cop after she allegedly got behind the wheel despite being more than six times over the legal alcohol limit.
Kerang police were notified about 9pm on May 20 of a blue Mazda sedan driving erratically in the Kerang CBD,
The vehicle was intercepted on Murray Street and the 37-year-old Kerang female driver provided a positive breath test roadside.
She was taken to the Kerang police station where she provided a blood alcohol reading of 0.306.
Her vehicle was impounded, her licence was immediately suspended for 12 months, and she was charged on summons to attend court at a later date.
Sergeant Demi Pascoe said it was incredibly fortunate no one was killed.
“A blood alcohol reading of 0.306 is not just six times over the legal limit – it’s dangerously high,” she said.
“I commend the Kerang police members for their swift action in intercepting the vehicle and preventing a potential tragedy.”
Road policing command Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said he was “gobsmacked” by the incident.
“I was talking to the superintendent up in Mildura about it and they were about as gobsmacked as we were,” he said on 3AW Drive.
“This is allegedly a mature person who’s made a horrendous decision to drive after having a really big drink.”
Sgt Pascoe said it was the highest alcohol reading she’d ever seen in her 10 years in the force.
“It’s quite shocking,” she said.
“And at a time when trauma on our roads is absolutely terrible, it’s at the worst.
“I guess in a regional area you don’t think this is something that’s not going to happen here, especially in the middle of the town and still relatively early in the night as well.”
