Dunedin District Court

‘‘THIS was very bad driving with a bad outcome,’’ Judge Michael Crosbie told a Dunedin woman who admitted driving under the influence of a drug.

Jo Ann Marie Hodge (54), unemployed, was before the Dunedin District Court yesterday as a result of her driving in MosgielOutram Rd on the afternoon of October 14.

Police prosecutor Stewart Sluis said Hodge was followed by a concerned member of the public who saw her driving erratically through Mosgiel and on to State Highway 87, about 2.50pm. Heading towards Outram, Hodge crossed the centre line numerous times, causing other road users to pull over to avoid a collision.

Continuing to drive erratically, Hodge failed to negotiate a left corner, crossed the centre line and went up a bank and into a power pole. Her vehicle overturned and rotated before coming to rest on its side.

The power pole was damaged as a result of the collision.

Hodge was seriously injured and taken to hospital by ambulance.

A test showed her to have 0.13mg per litre of sleeping medication in her blood.

When spoken to, she did not recall the incident but said she was prescribed the medication for sleeping and took it daily.

Counsel Andy Belcher said Hodge had suffered a severe head injury and ‘‘genuinely has no memory of what happened’’. She was voluntarily in Ward 9C at present.

Hodge was convicted, sentenced to 100 hours’ community work, disqualified from driving for 12 months and is to pay $4628.46 reparation.

Judge Crosbie noted she had a relevant previous conviction, in 2008, for refusing an officer’s request for a blood specimen.