Alexandre Gerard Rene Chapelle: Fined $900 for drink driving and speeding along North Road

A French national has been fined and disqualified from driving after he was clocked doing 153km/h along North Road in December. Alexandre Gerard Rene Chapelle appeared in Albany Magistrates Court on Tuesday, on two charges. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to reckless driving exceeding the speed limit by 45km/h or more on a length of road, and did drive (or attempt to drive) a motor vehicle on a public road with a blood alcohol content exceeding 0.05g. Police prosecutor Sgt Warrick Walker told the court how on December 12 Chapelle was clocked by a handheld speed camera doing 153km/h in the 60km/h zone of North Road about 9.12pm. Chapelle was pulled over by police and breath-tested, returning a reading of 0.063 grams of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Chapelle said he had been drinking with friends and only had two beers. “I didn’t know the road was 60 kilometres,” he said. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said Chappelle had some “pretty bad decision-making on the day” and was going “exceedingly fast”. “Fortunately there were no accidents or harm caused,” she said. Chappelle was fined $700 for reckless driving and $200 for driving under the influence.