Magistrate Caroline Huntsman presided over a number of matters when Yass Local Court sat on Thursday, May 12:

William Michael Allen, 20, of Galong NSW came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Mr Allen, who held a provisional driver’s licence, was stopped by police near the Yass Police Station in Rossi Street for a roadside breath test at about 1.30am on Sunday January 24. Police facts state he told police, “I’ve had heaps to drink” before he was escorted into the station for a breath analysis, which produced a positive reading of 0.126 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Mr Allen stated he consumed six full strength beers and 500ml of wine between 9pm on January 23 and 1.15am on January 24. He also said he had not consumed any food during this period. For the offence of mid-range drink driving, he was fined $500 and disqualified for six months.

Anita Bumbar, 40, of Yass came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. About 12.05am on Wednesday November 25, 2015, Ms Bumbar was driving in a southerly direction along the Hume Highway near Bowning. She lost control of the vehicle and came to rest against a guard rail and emergency services were notified. Ms Bumbar was treated at the scene by paramedics and transported to Yass Hospital where a blood sample was taken. The reading was 0.085 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Ms Bumbar told police she consumed alcohol at a local club in Yass prior to driving but has little memory of how the collision occurred. She was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Steven Douglas Butriss, 45, of Gunning came before court charged with driving with an illicit drug present in his blood. Mr Butriss was stopped by police about 2.10pm on Wednesday December 2, 2015 driving east on Collector Road at Gunning. He was subjected to an oral fluid test, which subsequently produced a positive detection to Methamphetamines. He was arrested for the purposes of a secondary oral fluid test and taken to Goulburn Police Station. This sample was tested and also returned a positive result. The remainder of the sample was sent to the NSW Forensic and Analytical Science Service and it returned a positive result to Methylamphetamine and deltra-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Manlio D’Amato, 61, of Mernda Vic, came before court charged with driving while his licence was suspended and low-range drink driving. Police noticed his car at 7.52pm on Saturday April 16 driving northeast on the Hume Highway and followed it to the Yass Service Centre. Police had knowledge of the vehicle as Mr D’Amato had been stopped by Gundagai Highway Patrol at 4.50pm that day on the Hume Highway at Tumblong. He had returned a breath analysis reading of 0.095 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath and was charged with mid-range drink driving. His licence was also suspended under Section 224 of the Road Transport Act. When later stopped by police in Yass, Mr D’Amato was asked why he was driving to which he stated he had to keep driving as he was in the middle of Melbourne and Sydney and needed to get to Sydney. He was submitted to another breath test, which returned a positive reading and was conveyed to Yass Police Station. There he underwent a breath analysis, which returned a reading of 0.072 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. He told police he had consumed two schooners of full strength beer at a hotel in Tarcutta between 5.50pm and 6.30pm on April 16. He was charged with low-range drink driving by Yass Police and driving with a suspended licence. For those offences, he was convicted in court and fined a total of $800 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Matthew Thomas Fitzsimmons, 34, of Coolamon NSW came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Police stopped Mr Fitzsimmons driving along Lead Street at 6.20pm on Saturday March 5. He was subjected to a breath test, which returned a positive result and was conveyed to Yass Police Station. There he underwent a breath analysis, which indicated a reading of 0.145 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Mr Fitzsimmons said he consumed three middies of beer between 5.45pm and 6pm during which time he did not eat any food. He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Peter Kennedy, 59, of Bonner ACT came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Police were conducting stationary random breath testing along the Yass Valley Way at 4.25pm on Thursday February 18 when Mr Kennedy’s vehicle was stopped. He was submitted to a breath test that returned a positive result. At 4.50pm, he returned a reading to a breath analysis of 0.142 grams of alcohol in 210 millilitres of breath. He admitted to consuming a bottle of red wine and half a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky the night before, his last drink being at midnight. He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Samantha Ann Smart, 24, of Burleigh Heads QLD came before court charged with mid-range drink driving. Ms Smart was driving in a northerly direction along the Yass Valley Way at 7.26pm on Saturday February 13. At the time, police were conducting stationary RBT and she was subjected to a breath test, which indicated a positive result. At the Yass Police Station, Ms Smart registered a breath analysis reading of 0.102 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. She stated she had consumed two glasses of wine between 6pm and 7pm. Ms Smart was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for 6 months.

A driver who was allegedly high on drugs and found with $280,000 cash after police searched his car will face court on Thursday.

Police pulled over a ‘suspicious’ car on the Hume Highway about 40km east of Wagga Wagga in rural New South Wales on Wednesday.

They allegedly found nearly $280, 000 in cash inside the Toyota Hiace, which driven by a 26-year-old man.

A 26-year-old man Cootamundra Highway police pulled over a ‘suspicious’ car on the Hume Highway about 40km east of Wagga Wagga on Wednesday. Police allegedly found nearly $280,000 in cash inside the Toyota Hiace

He was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station where he was subjected to a drug test, which allegedly returned a positive indication for methyl amphetamine, or ‘ice’.

The man, from Queensland, was charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime.

The incident has prompted Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley to warn motorists of the consequences of using the road to undertake unlawful activities.

‘Police are out in force, and if you are doing the wrong thing, we will catch up with you,’ Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said

‘If you think you are going to get away with illegal activity on our roads, you can think again,’ he said.

‘The CATCH program targets vehicles suspected of transporting drugs and other illegal contraband.

‘Police are out in force, and if you are doing the wrong thing, we will catch up with you.’

The 26-year-old was refused bail and will appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Thursday.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Officers working alongside Roads and Maritime Services officers have issued 2810 defect notices to trucks and trailers in the second week of Operation StateTrans.

In total, 29,740 trucks and trailers were intercepted since the operation began, and 1,697 traffic infringements and 615 breach notices were issued for licence, registration, load, fatigue and other offences.

Inspectors have downloaded 376 Engine Control Modules so far during the operation, with 75 found to be non-compliant or tampered with, allowing speeds of over 100km/h on NSW roads. In addition, out of 1,252 random drug tests, 15 drivers tested positive and were given 24-hour prohibition notices from driving, and are pending further Court action.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, said Joint Traffic Taskforce Operations were essential for ensuring the state of the NSW heavy vehicle fleet was safe on our roads.

“This is an opportunity for drivers, loaders, operators, companies, and directors alike to learn from our enforcement experience.

“While the number of non-compliance issues is relatively low given the number of trucks intercepted, those that are tampering with speed to allow their trucks to travel over the 100kph limit for heavy vehicles are being identified, prosecuted, and put off the road,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

Roads and Maritime Services General Manager Compliance Operations, Paul Endycott, said with more than 175,000 heavy vehicles registered in NSW, targeted enforcement operations like StateTrans play a crucial role in identifying and reducing non-compliance.

“Over the past three years there has been a 50 per cent drop in the defect rate in NSW, StateTrans plays an important role in seeing this downwards trend continue,” Mr Endycott said.

“With thousands of truck movements taking place every day, drivers, operators and all parties in the Chain of Responsibility must ensure their business practices do not compromise safety on the roads, and all vehicles must be roadworthy and meet the required checks and balances.

“It’s only a small number of drivers, operators, and companies that continually do the wrong thing which is why working with NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol is important in both ensuring, and enforcing, heavy vehicle compliance on the roads,” he said.

Some examples of serious non compliance include;

About 11pm on Tuesday (10 May 2016), officers stopped a B-double carrying 60 ton of bagged sugar on the Cumberland Highway.

An inspection revealed that the first trailer was unregistered and a $1,300 infringement notice was issued along with four demerit points.

Further inspection revealed that four tyres on the rear trailer were dangerously defective, with three

having exposed tyre casings.

The trailer was issued a major defect and unloaded, pending registration of the trailer and tyre replacement.

About 9pm on Thursday (12 May 2016) police stopped a heavy vehicle travelling south on the Newell Highway, Daroobalgie. Checks on the driver’s licence revealed he had a ourt-imposed driver licence cancellation until 2032.

A search of the vehicle revealed a number of work diairies, a radar detector and prohibited knives. The driver was arrested and taken for mandatory testing.

About 2.45am yesterday, (18 May 2016), police stopped a heavy vehicle and in Pine Creek. Checks on the driver revealed he was disqualified from driving.

Further checks revealed the vehicle had been allegedly tampered with to exceed speeds of 100km/h and had a radar detector installed.

StateTrans, a joint initiative between Australian Police and road agencies continues throughout the month of May.