A disqualified driver has been detected allegedly travelling more than 50km/h over the speed limit and a driver found to be driving while more than seven times the legal limit have been charged in separate incidents near Forster.
About 6.15pm last Friday (11 December 2020), officers from Manning/Great Lakes Highway Patrol were conducting roadside breath testing on The Lakes Way, Forster, when they stopped a Toyota Hilux utility.
The driver, a 29-year-old Forster man, was breath tested and allegedly returned a positive reading. He was arrested and taken to Forster Police Station, where he underwent a breath analysis, which returned an alleged reading of 0.364.
The man was charged with high range PCA and resisting police while in custody. He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Forster Local Court on Wednesday 13 January 2021.
The man's licence was also suspended.
In a second incident, about 10.30pm the same day, officers from Manning/Great Lakes Highway Patrol were conducting speed enforcement duties on the Pacific Highway near Nabiac, when they detected a blue Holden Commodore sedan allegedly travelling at 154km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Officers stopped the vehicle near Nabiac and spoke with the driver, a 43-year-old Weston woman. Checks revealed the woman was a disqualified driver until September 2025.
The woman was charged with drive whilst disqualified and exceed speed by more than 45km/h.
She is due to appear at Forster Local Court on Wednesday 13 January 2021.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Port Stephens-Manning Sector, Acting Inspector Michael Buko, said the two incidents served as examples of appalling driving behaviour.
"Both incidents show a total disregard for the safety of not only themselves, but for all road users," A/Inspector Buko said.
"As we head into the Christmas/New Year period, we see more traffic on coastal roads, and the potential for crashes increases.
"There are no excuses for such driving behaviour – the reading of 0.364 is among the highest we have seen in this area in recent times," A/Insp Buko said.
