A 33-year-old man has been granted strict conditional bail after facing court over an alleged high-range drink driving incident in Nelson Bay, where police claim he was more than five times the legal limit.
Dangerous driving leads to arrest
Officers from Port Stephens Hunter Police District were conducting patrols on Government Road shortly before 8:30pm on Friday, January 2, when their attention was drawn to a black hatchback. The vehicle was reportedly being driven in a dangerous manner, prompting police to intervene.
The car was successfully stopped on Magnus Street in Nelson Bay. Police then conducted a roadside breath test on the driver, a 33-year-old man, which allegedly returned a positive result.
Shocking alleged blood alcohol reading
The man was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station for a secondary breath analysis. This test allegedly produced a reading of 0.280. For a fully-licensed driver in New South Wales, the legal limit is 0.05, making this alleged reading more than five times the permissible amount.
The accused, identified as Guy Scott Blackwell, was subsequently charged with several offences. These include:
- Driving recklessly or furiously in a speed or manner dangerous
- High-range prescribed concentration of alcohol (drink driving)
- Possession of an illicit drug
- Hindering or resisting police
Weekend court appearance and police operation
Following his arrest, Blackwell was transferred to Raymond Terrace Police Station, where he remained in custody overnight. He faced an out-of-sessions weekend bail hearing on Saturday, January 3.
The magistrate granted him bail but imposed stringent conditions. Blackwell must not consume alcohol or take drugs, and he is prohibited from occupying the driver's seat of any motor vehicle while on bail.
He was not required to enter pleas during this initial hearing. The case was adjourned and will next be heard at Raymond Terrace Local Court later in January.
This incident occurred while the NSW Police Force's Operation Christmas and New Year was actively underway. The state-wide road safety operation, which included a double demerit period, concluded at midnight on Sunday, January 4.
