A Worrigee woman who produced a breath reading almost six times the legal limit when stopped by police while driving an unregistered car in South Nowra has escaped a conviction.
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Latisha Amy Petterson, 47, pleaded guilty to high range drink driving and driving an unregistered motor vehicle.
Court papers said she was followed by a fully marked highway patrol vehicle while driving a grey Subaru on Hillcrest Avenue, South Nowra around 6.20pm on November 5 last year.
Court papers said Petterson’s vehicle was on the far left side of the road while travelling west on Hillcrest Avenue, when it suddenly veered to the incorrect side of the road.
Police said three quarters of the vehicle remained on the wrong side of the road for a period of time.
Officers pulled the vehicle over and said Petterson’s speech was slow, her movements sluggish, she smelt moderately of alcohol and had glassy, bloodshot eyes.
Court papers said it took Petterson five attempts before she produced a breath analysis, which returned a positive result.
She later produced a breath reading of 0.299.
It was also discovered the car was unregistered, having expired three days previously, Petterson telling police she thought it was due the following week.
She told officers she had consumed a bottle of white wine between noon and 4pm, and was going to get some vegetables.
She also told officers she had drunk another bottle of wine between 7pm and 10pm the previous day.
The court heard Petterson attended a circle sentencing process.
In Nowra Local Court Magistrate Gabriel Fleming placed Petterson on a two-year-good behavior bond but did not record a conviction.
She was fined $659 for driving an unregistered vehicle.
