A wave of drink and drug-driving arrests in Tasmania’s north-west has led to multiple charges following a weekend operation by Burnie police.
On Saturday evening, a 32-year-old man rolled his vehicle on the Bass Highway at Wivenhoe before fleeing the crash scene.
Witnesses told police the driver reeked of alcohol.
Officers later found him in Upper Burnie, where he returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.153 – more than three times the legal limit.
He was charged with drink-driving offences and immediately disqualified from driving for 12 months.
A day later, police arrested a 44-year-old woman who was already banned from driving after she allegedly evaded officers on View Road in Burnie.
When police located her at a nearby home, they searched her car and uncovered two pipes used for smoking methylamphetamine.
She is now facing several drug and traffic charges, including evading police.
On Friday night, a learner driver in Park Grove was pulled over with a 42-year-old supervising driver who recorded a breath-alcohol reading of 0.073.
The supervising woman has been charged and is due to face court at a later date.
Police also carried out 120 breath tests during a high-visibility operation on the Bass Highway at Camdale on Friday night.
While most drivers passed, a 33-year-old Wynyard woman tested positive for illicit drugs and will be summonsed.
“Road safety is a priority for Tasmania Police and officers will be on patrol at all hours watching for acts of dangerous or reckless driving,” a police spokesperson said.
“If you do the wrong thing, you will be caught.”
