Co Antrim motorist more than four times drink limit almost crashed into oncoming vehicles on her birthday
A motorist more than four times the drink drive limit on her 54th birthday had driven on the wrong side of the road causing oncoming vehicles to take evasive action to avoid collisions.
Donna Clarke, with an address listed as Moylena Road in Antrim town, admitted charges of dangerous driving and failing to provide an evidential sample. She was in the dock at Antrim Magistrates Court sitting in Ballymena.
A prosecutor said that around 7.30pm on Tuesday, December 16 last year police received reports from the public concerned about the standard of driving of a motorist in Antrim town centre.
A witness followed the vehicle to the defendant's address awaiting police arrival. The defendant had parked the car and left the lights on and the engine running.
Before this the defendant had been driving at roads including Bridge Street, Dublin Road, Belmont Road and Cunningham Way. A mud flap was hanging off he defendant's vehicle which was going at around "20mph".
The vehicle hit a kerb, was speeding up and slowing down and, on two occasions, "crossing into the opposing lane of traffic" and oncoming vehicles had to take "evasive action to avoid colliding head-on".
The person following the defendant was flashing lights and sounding the horn to try and get the defendant to stop and also to warn other traffic. The defendant's vehicle mounted a grass verge.
When police arrived at the house they could smell alcohol from the empty vehicle which was still running with the keys in the ignition.
Police entered the property and in a bedroom the defendant was unsteady on her feet and required police assistance in standing.
Her eyes were glazed, she was slurring her words. She told police she had been "drinking and driving".
A preliminary breath test reading was "over 150", the prosecutor said. The legal limit is 35 At a police station the defendant failed to provide an evidential sample of breath.
When interviewed she said she had taken "four miniature 'Fireballs'". She had no record.
A defence solicitor said the defendant was "deeply ashamed" and recognised "just what could have happened" due to her driving.
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant she was "quite fortunate that other cars were able to avoid a collision because you were travelling in the wrong lane".
The defendant was banned from driving for 16 months and was fined £500.