A total of seven people have been charged with drink-driving offences after 507 random breath tests were conducted during a two-day operation targeting drivers in the state’s west.
Operation Fume ran from Friday (22 March 2024), to Saturday (23 March 2024), targeting drug and alcohol driving offences, and general road compliance across the Central West and Chifley Police Districts.
The high-visibility operation involved officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, supported by general duties officers from the local commands.
The operation utilised mobile and stationary random breath testing, random drug testing and proactive patrols of known ‘hot spots’ within the regions.
In total, seven people were charged with drink-driving offences, while seven drivers returned positive drug tests. There were a further 14 traffic charges, seven unrelated charges, and 78 infringements issued.
The licences of all drivers returning a positive roadside drug test were suspended for 24 hours, with further action against those dependent on the outcomes once the secondary results are returned.
Incidents of note,
*About 9.05am on Saturday (23 March 2024), police were patrolling Brilliant Street, Bathurst, when they sighted a Holden utility accelerate at speed. Police activated their warning lights and stopped the utility on William Street. The driver was subject to a roadside breath test, chich allegedly returned a positive result. He was taken to Bathurst Police Station, where he underwent a secondary breath analysis, which allegedly returned a result of 0.182.
The 44-year-old man was charged with drive with high range PCA, licence expired within the last 2 years, and class A motor vehicle exceed speed > 30 km/h. He was given a future court attendance notice to appear at Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday 24 April 2024.
*About 6.45am on Saturday (23 March 2024), police were patrolling Cowra, when they stopped a Kia Sedan towing a caravan on Redfern Street, Cowra, for the purpose of a random breath test. Police conducted a breath test, which allegedly returned a positive result.
The driver – a 41-year-old man – was arrested and taken to Cowra Police Station, where he underwent a secondary breath analysis, which allegedly returned a positive reading of 0.127. The man was charged with drive with middle range PCA and was given a future court attendance notice to appear at Cowra Local Court on Tuesday 28 May 2024.
Similar operations are expected to continue in the future.
