Debbie Kay Reid, 53, sentenced for driving with drugs and alcohol in system

A Bunbury woman who veered off the road and hit a tree while driving with drugs and alcohol in her system has been ordered by the court to pay fines and do community service. Debbie Kay Reid, 53, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court last week for sentencing on a charge of dangerous driving and failure to comply with a drug test requirement after the incident. On the evening of July 13, Reid was driving on South Western Highway when she lost control of her vehicle, swerved through two lanes of oncoming traffic and hit a gum tree, causing the car to roll. An uninjured Reid fled the scene on foot, leaving behind her wallet and phone. She was later found by police and given a breath analysis test which returned a reading of 0.114. An oral fluid test proved positive for cannabis but when asked by police to undergo a confirmatory drug test she shouted at police, “I’m not doing it, I only took cannabis . . . not anything else”. The woman’s lawyer told the court she “doesn’t remember” refusing to take the test but conceded her guilt. It was submitted she had been on a bushwalk earlier that morning and went for a drink afterwards. Her friend who was supposed to be taking her home didn’t arrive, leading her to get behind the wheel. In relation to the cannabis, the defence submitted the woman had a prescription for the drug to aid with depressive and bipolar disorders. Magistrate Michelle Harries called the incident “very concerning”, emphasising how things could have gone “drastically wrong”. Reid received a $1400 fine and a 12-month community based order for the offending, which included 20 hours of community service.