14 charged with drink-driving during Operation Western Chrome, NSW

Police have detected and charged 14 people with drink-driving over the weekend as part of Operation Western Chrome.

Superintendent Paul Glinn, Commander for Traffic & Highway Patrol across Western Region said Operation Western Chrome was conducted on primary and secondary roads and in the major town centres with a focus on drug and alcohol driving along with general road rule compliance in a highly visible and proactive manner.

“Our increased presence across all parts of western region, including those areas that you may not normally expect to be subjected to random breath and drug testing, should reinforce that police undertake these activities 24/7, anytime, anywhere,” Supt Glinn said.

“These type of operations involving Traffic & Highway Patrol and police from other areas working together, with a larger operational footprint, will continue and it is important to reinforce that if you make poor choices and decide to drive, you are not only putting yourself and others at risk, but more likely to be detected, arrested and placed before the courts. Risky driver behaviour particularly impacts on regional communities and those behaviours targeted are causal factors in serious and fatal collisions on regional roads,” Supt Glinn said.

A total of 80 staff were deployed on Western Region roads over Friday and Saturday 20-30 August 2020.

Over the two nights, the following results were achieved

  • 2391 breath tests were conducted, resulting in 14 PCA offences,
  • 79 drug tests, resulting in 10 RDT offences
  • 146 infringement notices issued;
  • 25 charges, including three disqualified drivers.

Of note, about 10.30pm on Saturday 29 August 2020, a 33-year-old man allegedly picked the wrong time and place to perform a burnout in a black Holden Commodore sedan. He was stopped by police after allegedly doing a burnout outside Mudgee Police Station on Market Street. He failed to submit to a roadside breath test and resisted police as he was removed from the car. He was taken to Mudgee Police Station where he underwent a breath analysis, which returned a reading of 0.207, placing him in the high-range PCA category (over four times the legal limit).

The man was charged with drive with high range PCA, refuse or fail to submit to a breath test, negligent driving, Class A motor vehicle exceed speed by more than 45km/h, drive manner dangerous and resist police. His licence was also suspended.

The man was released on conditional bail to appear before Mudgee Local Court on Wednesday 23 September 2020.

/Public Release. View in full here.