Three drink driving offences in one weekend— Waroona police warn licence can disappear “as quickly as a middy”

Waroona police have slammed drink-drivers in the region after three men were caught driving under the influence across a single weekend, with one officer warning a licence can disappear “as quickly as a middy”. Police said all three incidents — involving a 36-year-old Waroona man, a 49-year-old Waroona man and a 28-year-old Mandurah man — resulted in disqualification notices, suspending the men from driving or being able to apply for a licence. The first of the offences — involving the 36-year-old — occurred after a police stop in Waroona, on Friday, November 26, revealed the driver to have a blood alcohol level of 0.141 as well as a court-cancelled licence. His car was impounded for 28 days due to the cancelled licence and he was charged with no authority to drive. A day after on Saturday, November 27, the 49-year-old driver, again stopped at Waroona, had a blood alcohol level of 0.148, and was charged with exceeding the 0.08 limit. The last of the offences — on Sunday, November 28 — involving the 28-year-old man, occurred after he was riding a motorcycle along Old Coast Road near Dawesville where Waroona police collected a blood alcohol reading of 0.171. Speeding 44km over the limit, without the correct licence to ride the motorcycle he was on, the Mandurah man was charged with no authority to drive, speeding and driving under the influence. Senior Constable Stuart Butcher said every police vehicle was a booze bus, and every traffic stop a breath test. “These were not young men in the sense of late teens or early 20s with relatively little driving experience, they were men who should know the risks and know the consequences.” Sen. Const. Butcher said with the summer weather approaching many outdoor activities were paired with the consumption of alcohol, so there was always the risk of offences being committed. “The offences detected were all evening detections where the persons advised us that they had been drinking socially whilst undertaking activities outdoors or with friends,” he said. “These high readings, are chancing driving, despite some not holding a valid licence, and thinking that they will be ‘alright’ to drive is worrying.” All three men are due to appear at Mandurah Magistrates Court.