Woman evades roadblock and swaps seats with another, both among 18 arrested in island-wide blitz

Two women were arrested for their suspected involvement in an evasion of a roadblock in the early morning of Dec 23.

Traffic Police officers were conducting a roadblock along Upper Cross Street towards Central Expressway when a car stopped at a distance before the roadblock.

When officers approached the car, the driver reversed and drove off. She then swapped seats with a passenger in the car.

The 31-year-old female driver was arrested for suspected drink-driving, evasion of roadblock, driving without a valid driving licence, driving a motor vehicle without insurance coverage and obstructing the course of justice.

The 28-year-old female passenger, who was the owner of that car, had permitted the woman to drive her car despite knowing that she did not possess a valid driving licence.

She was arrested for drink-driving, permitting another person to use a vehicle without a valid driving licence, permitting another person to use a vehicle without insurance coverage and obstructing the course of justice.

The offence of driving while under the influence of alcohol carries a fine of not less than $2,000 and not more than $10,000, or an imprisonment term of up to 12 months, or both. Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles.

The offence of evasion of roadblock carries a fine of up to $10,000, an imprisonment term of up to seven years, or both.

The offence of driving without a valid driving licence carries a fine of up to $10,000, an imprisonment term of up to three years, or both. The vehicle may also be forfeited.

The offence of using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage carries a fine of up to $1,000, an imprisonment term of up to three months, or both.

The two women were among 18 motorists arrested for drink-driving-related offences in an island-wide operation conducted by the Traffic Police.

Fifty-six motorists were stopped and tested for alcohol consumption at various roadblocks. 

Ten men and seven women, aged between 23 and 70 years, failed the test and were arrested for drink-driving. 

The highest Breath Evidential Analyser test result was 97 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, which is more than double the prescribed legal limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

A 35-year-old male driver was arrested for the offence of failing to provide a specimen of evidential breath for analysis when required to do so.

The offence of driving while under the influence of alcohol carries a fine of not less than $2,000 and not
more than $10,000, or an imprisonment term of up to 12 months, or both. Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles.