NSW police disappointed after drivers caught drink driving during Operation Chrome

Police in the Northern, Southern and Western regions are disappointed people continue to get behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol or illicit drugs, following this weekend’s Operation Chrome road blitz.

Operation Chrome was a two-day road safety enforcement campaign conducted in Western, Southern and Northern regions during Friday 29 and Saturday 30 November 2019.

The operation utilised police from all districts within each region, working alongside officers from the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command to provide a coordinated effort to reducing rural road trauma.

Police targeted poor driving behaviours on rural roads – including speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.

Across the three regions, police conducted more than 17,000 breath tests, with 270 charges and almost 700 traffic infringement notices issued.

Of note, about 11pm on Saturday 30 November 2019, officers stopped a silver Holden Captiva allegedly driving erratically along Blue Gum Road, Jesmond. Police spoke with the driver – a 31-year-old woman – who allegedly exited the car with an unrestrained infant in her arms. She underwent a roadside breath test and returned a positive reading. She was arrested and taken to Waratah Police Station where she underwent a secondary breath analysis which allegedly returned a positive reading of 0.164. She was charged with high-range PCA and issued a Field Court Attendance Notice to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 19 December 2019. The woman’s license was suspended.

On Saturday (30 November 2019) a 36-year-old woman from Cootamundra was allegedly detected driving under the influence of methylamphetamine twice in a six-hour period. She was issued a field court attendance notice to attend Cootamundra Local Court on 6 January 2020.

About 1.30am (Sunday 1 December 2019), a 22-year-old man was stopped on Hunter Street, Glen Innes for the purpose of a roadside breath test. He returned a positive reading and was taken to Glen Innes Police Station. He allegedly returned a breath analysis reading 0.203 and was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for high-range drink driving. The man’s license was suspended.

Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM said Operation Chrome continues to strengthen police visibility and road safety awareness in regional NSW.

“People continue to not listen to our warnings and get behind the wheel when affected by alcohol and drugs. We will not hesitate to stop a vehicle if we think the driver’s behaviour puts everyone in the vehicle at risk, as well as others nearby,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.

“Police will target those roads that lead to the major arterial routes across the state – the focus on rural roads will not end because Operation Chrome has.

“We are making state-wide preparations to be on the road in numbers heading into the festive season.”

NORTHERN

Speed infringements: 16

Breath tests: 6826

Total charges: 114

PCA charges: 55

Major crashes: 1

Fatalities: 1

SOUTHERN

Speed infringements: 29

Breath tests: 9169

Total charges: 137

PCA charges: 27

Major crashes: 2

Fatalities: 0

WESTERN

Speed infringements: 2

Breath tests: 1894

Total charges: 19

PCA charges: 15

Major crashes: 0

Fatalities: 0

/Public Release. View in full here.