A nurse who drunkenly dumped her car on a roundabout on the A90 has been fined and banned.
Tamara Cipars said she had no memory of leaving her Kia Picanto at the roundabout at the junction with Clearwater Park on January 23.
Police discovered a bottle of gin in the car at 6am before later tracing Cipars at her home in Dundee.
The city’s sheriff court heard how Cipars had turned to alcohol after suffering a series of bereavements as well as a break-up.
Fiscal depute Carrie-Anne Mackenzie said: “Police attended and found the vehicle on top of the roundabout.
“The vehicle had slight damage to it as well as a buckling of the wheels.
“There was a bottle of gin noted within the vehicle. Police were able to trace the accused at her home address.
“After repeated knocking on the door, there was no answer.”
Concerned for Cipars’ welfare, officers opened the unlocked door and found her in a bedroom.
Cipars smelled of alcohol and confirmed she had been drinking beer and gin.
She was taken to police headquarters on West Bell Street and provided a reading of 67 mics in 100 mils of breath, exceeding the limit of 22 mics.
The 29-year-old, of Alder Place, pleaded guilty to drink driving on the A92 Dundee to Arbroath road on January 23.
Solicitor Ross Donnelly said Cipars, a first offender, was currently signed off from the NHS on sick leave having had a “terrible” 2020.
“Her mental health was distinctly affected by traumatic events,” he said.
“She found her friend in the bathroom having attempted suicide and she died the next day. Six months later, her father passed away. She separated from her partner after that.
“All of this has taken place in the background of the pandemic and the additional stress of her employment as a nurse.”
Sheriff John Rafferty disqualified Cipars from driving for 14 months and fined her £600.
He said: “You clearly have had difficult issues over the past year or so. Nonetheless, this was a high reading and you could have caused serious injury or worse to yourself or others.”
