Driver Nearly Six Times over Legal Limit Behind the Wheel in Muswellbrook

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A driver has been charged with high-range drink driving after he was found to be nearly six times over the legal alcohol limit.

Police say at about 6:45pm last night, officers responded to reports of a car swerving from side to side, and crossing over to the wrong side of the road in Muswellbrook.

A short time later, Traffic & Highway Patrol officers found a Ford Ranger utility on Denman Road with the driver allegedly asleep behind the wheel with the engine still running.

The 62-year-old  took a breath test returning a positive result and was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station where he returned a reading of 0.285.

The man was charged and had his licence suspended on the spot.

He faces Muswellbrook Local Court on December 18.

Hunter police officer should've known better

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A Hunter police officer, who maybe should've known better, will face court next month on alleged drink driving charges.

The offence allegedly occurred at about 4:15 yesterday afternoon.

The female senior constable, who is attached to a specialist command within the Northern Region, has been handed a Field Court Attendance Notice for allegedly refusing a roadside breath test, stating false details, and driving while suspended.

She's been suspended without pay and will face Singleton Local Court on September 14.

Operation Tortoise all over after a bumper long weekend on Hunter roads

BY JESSICA ROUSE

If you were unlucky enough to be stuck in Easter long weekend traffic yesterday, you certainly weren't alone.

Traffic was crawling along the M1 motorway from Morisset all the way to Wyong for more than 25km, and closer to home in Heatherbrae, the Pacific Highway had its fair share of congestion.

All of the traffic eventually cleared at about 8:30pm last night.

Operation Tortoise wrapped up at midnight after four days of cracking down on speeding, drink-driving and a host of other common offences on Hunter's roads.

Across the region, police handed out over 400 speeding tickets, 1,200 Random Breath Tests (RBT) which found 27 people drink driving.

The state's road toll climbed to 11 over the long weekend, four this year have been on Hunter's roads and includes the 27-year-old man who lost his life in an accident at Brandy Hill last Thursday.

Senior police used the weekend to plead with drivers to slow down and be patient with heavy traffic throughout the state, but it didn't stop some people from putting their lives at risk.

A 19-year-old woman was caught on Newcastle Link Road driving at 143km/h in the 90km/h speed zone on a suspended Learners license on Sunday night.

She was charged with a number of offenses and will face Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 27th April 2017.

Man arrested after discovery of imitation firearm

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man has been placed under arrest and charged with possession of an unauthorised prohibited firearm overnight in Nelson Bay.

At about 2am, a 33-year-old male was stopped for an Random Breath Test when police proceeded to search the vehicle.

A replica firearm was found.