A Gold Coast Tesla driver could be forced to pay thousands of dollars in fines – and spend years in jail – after being charged with drink driving twice within three hours.
At midday on 12 April 2024, Queensland Police Service officers stopped a vehicle Tesla Model Y on Mount Nathan Road after discovering an electric SUV traveling at 28km/h over the speed limit.
The 50-year-old Tesla driver later returned a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) result of 0.199% – almost four times the legal limit of 0.05%.
Her license was immediately suspended and she was charged with driving while intoxicated, which carries a potential fine of up to $4,334 and up to nine months in jail.
The woman was observed by police until she received a forklift as a ride-share vehicle.
However, at 2:50 pm the same day, a Tesla Model Y was seen running on nearby Beaudesert-Nerang road.
When stopping the Tesla, police found the woman behind the wheel. She returned a positive roadside breath test and was then taken to Coomera Police Station, where further testing returned a BAC of 0.183%.
She was again charged with drink driving as well as driving while disqualified – which could result in a further two to five year driving ban.
The 50-year-old is due to appear at Southport Magistrates’ Court on May 1.
