Kayden Alex McDonald: Great Southern man cops huge fine and lengthy disqualification for drink-driving

A Great Southern man who drove with more than three times the legal limit of blood alcohol in Mt Barker has copped a hefty fine and had his licence disqualified for more than two years. Kayden Alex McDonald appeared in Albany Magistrates Court on September 18, charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The 23-year-old entered a plea of guilty to the driving offence that occurred on August 28. McDonald, who works as a farmer, was drinking with friends before his Isuzu was stopped by police on Albany Highway at 10.49pm, defence counsel Jamie Archer told the court. A roadside breath test revealed a blood alcohol reading of 0.156g — more than three times the legal limit — leading to police issuing a roadside disqualification. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said this was McDonald’s second DUI charge, with the last stemming from 2022. She urged him to be “very, very mindful” of watching alcohol consumption as the loss of fine motor skills behind the wheel can lead to “fairly drastic consequences”. “You may feel fine to drive, but things escalate a lot quicker than you tend to think,” she said. Ms O’Donnell handed him a $3150 fine, the minimum for a second offence, and a 30-month drivers licence disqualification.