On Friday, April 18, officers from Benalla Highway Patrol observed a vehicle travelling without headlights and at an unusually slow speed along Bridge St in Benalla.
After narrowly missing several street signs, the vehicle was intercepted in a nearby car park.
The male driver, aged in his 50s, returned a positive roadside breath test.
He was conveyed to Benalla Police Station, where he recorded an evidentiary reading of 0.260 – more than five times the legal limit.
His licence was immediately disqualified, and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1280. He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
A police spokesperson said this incident was a stark reminder of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.
“It is extremely disappointing to see this kind of reckless behaviour on our roads,” the spokesperson said.
This intercept falls under Operation Compass, a statewide road policing initiative running over the April school holidays, including Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.
Operation Compass runs from midnight, Thursday, April 17 to 11.59pm on Sunday, April 27.
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