Queenstown District Court
AN IRISHMAN who was almost four times over the drinkdriving limit when he crashed a company car in Arrowtown last month has to pay reparation to a friend before he is deported.
Ryan David Fay (23), who lives in the town, lost control of the Toyota Hilux, crossed the centre line and smashed into a large tree on June 22.
He appeared for sentencing in the Queenstown District Court this week on charges of drinkdriving (199mg) and drinkdriving causing injury to Dean Paton Hopkins and Daniel John Hunnag.
His lawyer, Liam Collins, said the crash was the result of a ‘‘moment of madness’’, but Messrs Hopkins and Hunnag were not entirely blameless.
‘‘They were drinking with Mr Fay and got in the car with him.’’
One of the friends was taken to Southland Hospital, in Invercargill, after breaking his leg and the other needed stitches for a cut to his ear.
Fay himself was taken to Southland Hospital with seatbelt injuries, abdominal pain and abrasions. The vehicle, which was written off, belonged to the employer of another friend of Fay’s.
Judge David Saunders told Fay ‘‘things had been going well’’ for him in New Zealand until his ‘‘stupid decision’’ to drive the car.
On all charges he disqualified Fay from driving for 12 months and ordered him to pay $500 reparation to Mr Hunnag.
Drinkdriving
Jordan McGregor Monk (29), of Blackmans, Central Otago, was sentenced on charges of drinkdriving (152mg), careless driving and making a false statement to police, all on the Gibbston Highway on July 29, 2015.
Monk, who suffered a head injury in the crash, subsequently received a fourth drinkdriving conviction for which he was sentenced in March.
Judge Saunders convicted him of the three charges and sentenced as follows: careless driving, disqualified 12 months; making a false statement to police, 12 months’ supervision; drinkdriving, an existing community detention sentence was replaced by one of five months’ duration.
The judge imposed a daily curfew from 7.30pm to 6am, except to attend weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and ordered Monk to pay $182.73 medical expenses.
Daniel Aston Parram (23), of Queenstown, granted a discharge without conviction after pleading guilty to an amended charge of assaulting Andrew Steven Lee, in the resort on December 14 last year.
Takayawa Vugakoto Colati (33), builder, of Sunshine Bay, drinkdriving, 670mcg, Thompson St, Queenstown (third conviction), fined $900, court costs of $130, disqualified for three months with alcohol interlock licence (12 months) and zeroalcohol licence (three years) provisions, 12 months’ intensive supervision with the conditions to attend a drug and alcohol programme and observe a weekend curfew for three months (Friday 7pm to Saturday 6am, and Saturday 7pm to Monday 6am).
Other convictions
Christopher Kennedy (49), of Kelvin Heights, driving while disqualified, FranktonLadies Mile highway, June 14, 50 hours’ community work.