'I got no apologies': Mother and father both caught drink driving on same day
A woman and her husband have both been caught drink driving in separate cars, on the same day, and each with a child in the vehicle, police say.
It is alleged the 28-year-old mother blew more than three times the legal limit after almost crashing into a fence.
After a late night drinking session at her Dorrigo home, Jodie McCarthy allegedly got behind the wheel with a friend's six-month-old baby girl in the back.
The mother of three told 7 News she regrets her decision, but says she was not to blame.
"I got no apologies, hey if I killed myself, so be it," a defiant Ms McCarthy told 7 News.
"Isn't that the mother's responsibility not to put their kid at risk of somebody else's danger."
When asked if she thought she had risked the life of the child, Ms McCarthy replied "no, I didn’t put her in danger".
The baby’s mother was also in the car when the 28-year-old P-plater recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.171.
"There are heaps of people who drink drive," Ms McCarthy said.
She was arrested in Coffs Harbour at Hungry Jacks about 2am on Sunday after staff called police when she almost crashed in the drive-through.
What stunned authorities the most was that her husband was also charged with drink driving on the same day with their three children in the car.
Ken Owen was pulled over in the afternoon not far from the couple’s Dorrigo home.
He was driving their kids, all aged under 10, to the park.
The 47-year-old allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.065 and while he told 7 News he was apologetic for his behaviour police slammed the man, who allegedly does not hold a drivers license.
“It’s extremely irresponsible as a parent or driver,” Local Area Command Chief Inspector Shari Allsions said.
The couple will front court in the coming months.
