AN EMERALD mother set a terrible example when she was caught more than five times the legal alcohol limit while on her way to pick up her son and grab some fast food.

Phyllis Ann Lynn, 55, had a BAC of .262 when she decided to drink drive to Emerald KFC last year to get food for her husband, Emerald Magistrates Court heard today.

About 9.20pm on December 12 police were notified of a vehicle driving dangerously on the John Gay Bridge, followed by a crashing sound.

Police later intercepted the vehicle on Clermont St and noticed damage to the front of the car and a popped rear tyre, Police Prosecutor Kevin Ongheen told the court.

Lynn, the driver of the vehicle, told police she was driving to KFC for her husband and to pick up her youngest son from work

“I made a stupid mistake. I shouldn’t have driven,” she told the court after she pleaded guilty today.

Magistrate Robert Walker was surprised Lynn was able to operate the vehicle with the “extraordinarily” high BAC reading.

“It’s remarkable that you were capable of moving into your vehicle and driving at all,” he said.

Mr Walker said the decision to drink drive wasn’t just putting herself in danger, but other also other road users.

Lynn told the court she had been drinking since she and her husband had been fighting about finances and that she would take steps towards rehabilitation.

She was convicted and fined $1200, disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for 14 months.