Hills Fleurieu police conducted a local traffic operation over the weekend focussing on drink and drug driving detection in Strathalbyn and surrounding towns.

Between Thursday 18 and Sunday 21 March Police Officers from Strathalbyn, Mount Barker, Dog Operations Unit and Traffic Section targeted the area over the four day period.

There were 330 test conducted resulting in six people caught drink driving, 31 infringement notices issued and ten cars defected.  Police conducted 142 drug wipes with five positive results and one drug diversion. One person was reported and two people were arrested for driving offences.

Police were extremely disappointed with the inexcusable results. In light of the current number of lives lost on South Australian roads, the results are extremely concerning.

About 5.15pm on Thursday 18 March, a 25-year-old man from Strathalbyn was stopped from driving on Sunter Street, Strathalbyn. He tested positive to methamphetamine and was issued with a 24 hour driver direction. He may be charged with drug driving following the analysis of his results by Forensic Science South Australia (FSSA).

On the same date, at 7.30pm a 31-year-old Strathalbyn man, was stopped on his motorcycle on Catherine Street at Strathalbyn. The learner driver returned a positive breath analysis of 0.027. He was issued an on the spot fine.

About an hour later, a 23-year-old man from Milang was stopped on North Parade, Strathalbyn. He submitted to a drug test and returned a positive result for cannabis.  He was issued a 24 hour driver direction. Police also located cannabis and issued the driver with an expiation notice. Following the analysis of his sample by FSSA he may be charged with drug driving.

On Friday 19 March, about 2.30am, police stopped a 51-year-old Strathalbyn woman from driving on Sandergrove Road, Strathalbyn. She submitted to a drug test where she returned a positive result for methamphetamine.  She was issued a 24 hour driver direction and she may be charged with drug driving when the results of her sample are analysed by FSSA.

At about 6.55pm on Friday 19 March, police stopped a 45 year old Strathalbyn man from driving on High St, Strathalbyn. He returned a positive BA of 0.148 and swung at police aggressively. He was arrested, issued a 6 month immediate loss of licence and had his car impounded for 28 days. He will face the Mt Barker Magistrates Court on 21 April 2021.

At 9.30pm on the same night, police saw a 13-year-old male youth from Wistow, riding an unregistered and uninsured motorcycle.  He was riding the motorbike on Parker Avenue without a licence, without lights and without a helmet.  The teenager was reported for the above offences and he will be processed through the juvenile justice system.

Just after midnight on Saturday 20 March, police saw a 20-year-old man from Gemmells riding a bicycle on North Parade without a helmet. He was stopped and reported for riding under the influence and failing to wear a helmet.  He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

About 1.40am the same morning, police stopped a man on South Terrace for a random driver test.  An enquiry revealed the driver, a 63-year-old man from Clayton Bay, was driving without a licence and had not held a licence since 2018.  His vehicle was also unregistered and uninsured. The man submitted to a drug test where he returned a positive result to methamphetamine and he was subsequently issued a 24 hour driver direction.  He was arrested and charged with numerous driving offences and will appear in the Mount Barker Magistrates Court on 14 April.

About 9.45pm on Saturday evening, police stopped a car on Milne Road at Strathalbyn for a random driver test.  The driver, a 44-year-old woman from Woodville Park, returned a positive drug test to methamphetamine and was issued a 24 hour driver direction. Pending the results of her drug sample by FSSA she may be charged with drug driving.

The passenger in the vehicle, a 45-year-old man from Lameroo, was reported for possessing drug equipment and methamphetamine.  He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

On Sunday 21 March, at 9.20pm, Strathalbyn police attended Milne Road at Milang after reports of a single car crash.  The green Lexus sedan left the road and crashed into trees.  The driver, a 54-year-old woman from Clayton Bay, was drug tested and returned a positive result for methamphetamine. The woman was reported for driving without due care and drug driving.  She was issued with a 24 hr driver direction and she will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

Hills Fleurieu Operations Manager, Inspector Gus Sickerdick says there is no excuse for drink or drug driving and putting people's lives at risk.

“In 2020 there were 21 lives lost in crashes on South Australian roads where drink and/or drug driving were a contributing factor.

“SAPOL are committed to keeping our rural roads safe and this reckless and life threatening behaviour will not be tolerated," Inspector Sickerdick says.