Woman Charged After Hitting Traffic Pole While Drunk at East Maitland

A 57-year-old woman has been charged following a single-vehicle crash in East Maitland earlier this week.

The incident occurred around 6 pm on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, when the woman was driving a Mazda sedan eastbound on the New England Highway. As she approached the intersection with Mitchell Drive, the vehicle collided with a traffic light pole.

Emergency services quickly responded to the scene, where NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the woman for minor injuries.

Officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command arrived and attempted to conduct a roadside breath test. However, the woman was unable to complete the test and was subsequently arrested. She was taken to Maitland Police Station, where a breath analysis was performed, allegedly returning a reading of 0.342—well above the legal limit.

The woman has been charged with refusing to submit to a breath test and driving with a high-range Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA). She has been issued a Field Court Attendance Notice and is scheduled to appear before Maitland Local Court on Wednesday, 25 September 2024.

Police continue to remind motorists of the serious consequences of drink driving, urging everyone to make responsible choices to ensure the safety of all road users.