Linda Marie Becker: A woman fined $6000 for illegally overtaking an unmarked police car into oncoming traffic

An Albany woman who overtook an unmarked police car into oncoming traffic while under the influence of alcohol has been fined $6000. Linda Marie Becker appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court on Tuesday and was sentenced for dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving under the influence of alcohol, drug possession and driving without a licence. The 42-year-old was convicted on February 13. Becker was driving at high speed under the influence of alcohol on Mercer Road in Lange, a northern suburb of Albany, on January 1, when she illegally overtook an unmarked police car on double white lines. She quickly pulled in front of the car to avoid oncoming traffic, causing the officer to break abruptly. The officer turned on the sirens and followed Becker for nearly 2km before stopping the pursuit and informing other officers of the incident when the accused failed to pull over. Later that afternoon, Becker was stopped for a random breath test in Mt Barker which showed 0.164 grams of alcohol in her system. At Mt Barker police station, officers also discovered methamphetamine in her handbag during a routine search. On January 27, Becker was driving on Albany Highway in Mt Barker where she was stopped by police and her vehicle was impounded as her licence had been disqualified after the previous offences. Under the direction of her client, duty lawyer Lucy Bourne asked the court to adjourn the matters so Becker could undergo a hair strand test to determine her alcohol level. Ms Bourne said Becker believed the breath test had not accurately read her blood alcohol level and that police should have conducted a blood test. She also said her client had pleaded guilty out of convenience. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said it was “a ridiculous instruction”. “This was a police pursuit, the charges are not in question” she said. “They aren’t pleas of convenience, its pleas of recognising the facts.” Becker told the magistrate said she did not know her licence had been disqualified. Ms O’Donnell said she did not believe that. “Again, just a stupid thing to say, I’m sorry to be so blunt,” she said. Becker was fined $6000 overall, $456.50 in costs and her licence was disqualified for two years and three months.