Concreter Fined and Disqualified for Drink Driving Incident

A 47-year-old Central Queensland concreter, Daniel James Appleton, has faced court for a drink driving incident that occurred on June 1. Appleton pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, and was fined $1000, with his driver's license disqualified for six months.

The court heard that Appleton was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Tanby Road at Yeppoon, leaving the scene in another vehicle. Police found him later, hiding under his home, with a breath test reading of .134. Appleton had two previous drink driving offenses on his traffic history, but none in the past five years. His solicitor argued that Appleton's decision to drive was a misjudgment rather than a disregard for the law, and that he had completed a traffic offenders program since the incident.

Key Takeaways:

• Daniel James Appleton, a 47-year-old concreter, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention after a single-vehicle crash on June 1.
• Appleton was fined $1000 and had his driver's license disqualified for six months.
• He left the scene of the crash in another vehicle, and was later found hiding at his residence, with a breath test reading of .134.
• Appleton had two previous drink driving offenses on his traffic history, but none in the past five years.
• His solicitor argued that the incident was a misjudgment rather than a disregard for the law, and that Appleton had completed a traffic offenders program since the incident.
• Appleton was a single man who worked as a concreter and had been drinking at a friend's barbecue.
• He apologized to police several times, stating he was "sorry" for his actions.

Statistics:

• June 1: Date of the drink driving incident.
• 9:55am: Time of the single-vehicle crash.
• .134: Appleton's breath test reading.
• 6 months: Length of driving disqualification.
• $1000: Amount of fine imposed.

Sources:

• "Court: 'Sorry' is not enough". [The Morning Bulletin, June ](https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/court-sorry-is-not-enough/).
• Yeppoon Magistrates Court [transcript, June 1](https://transcripts.yeppoonmagistratescourts.com.au/2023-01-01).