A young Devonport man who fell asleep in a McDonald’s drive-thru has been charged after allegedly recording a blood alcohol reading nearly four times the legal limit.
The 21-year-old was reported to police on Saturday night after he was found dozing behind the wheel of a white Toyota at the fast-food restaurant.
Attending officers later observed the man allegedly overtaking vehicles in single lanes and failing to indicate.
Police intercepted the vehicle on the Bass Highway at the East Devonport exit just after 10pm, where the driver allegedly returned a breath test reading of 0.194.
He was charged with exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit and driving without due care and attention and was immediately disqualified from driving for 12 months.
It was the first of two alarming drink driving incidents in the north-west city over the weekend.
In a separate incident, a 26-year-old motorbike rider was stopped on Griffin Street about 1:30am on Sunday for excessive noise.
He allegedly returned a breath test reading of 0.224 – more than four times the legal limit – and was charged with exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit.
Tasmania Police said they were “very concerned” by the behaviour of both drivers.
“… The drivers’ actions that not only put themselves at risk, but also other road users,” police said.
“Alcohol is one of our ‘Fatal Five’ contributors to serious and fatal crashes in Tasmania and it was very fortunate that, on this occasion, no was injured or killed.”
Both men were bailed to appear in court at a later date.
