Drunk driver made tourist fear for life

AN Australian tourist has vowed never to return to New Zealand after her car was rammed by a drunk driver who then ran her over.

Rochelle Joan Thompson (36) appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week for what Judge Kevin Phillips called ‘‘alarming, frightening, appallingly bad driving conduct’’.

The 71yearold tourist was driving her family to their accommodation in Brighton late on March 5 when she realised she was being tailgated by the defendant in her Holden.

Concerned about the proximity, she pulled over in Cumberland St to let Thompson pass, but she simply pulled in behind and waited for the hire car to set off again. When the victim turned into Lower Stuart St and stopped at lights, Thompson rammed her car into the vehicle in front.

The victim continued to the Octagon and while she waited to turn into Princes St, got out to speak to the defendant.

Thompson responded by again driving into the car in front then ploughing into the woman as she stood on the road.

‘‘I thought she was trying to kill me,’’ the tourist said.

‘‘I could feel the wheel of it hit my body. In the end she backed up and left me lying on the roadway.’’

Thompson’s wild ride continued when she ignored a red light and slammed her car into that of another motorist in Crawford St.

She did not stick around to offer an apology or check on the second victim.

She drove her badly damaged vehicle on the motorway to Mosgiel where police eventually stopped her following a short pursuit.

Thompson had a breathalcohol reading of 710mcg — nearly three times the legal limit.

Defence counsel Alex Bligh acknowledged her client ‘‘made a terrible decision to drive’’.

The Australian victim and her family never made it to their accommodation and spent the night sleeping in their car beside the police station to feel safe, the court heard.

The second victim asked the court to be compensated for the damage to her vehicle. But Judge Phillips said he was ‘‘handcuffed’’ by the fact Thompson was penniless. He noted the woman had been in court nine years ago for another drinkdriving episode that landed her with a bill of more than $12,000. She had also completed residential rehabilitation for her alcoholism, the court heard, but had not kicked the habit.

Judge Phillips said Thompson’s children had been taken from her care since the incident.

‘‘If the events I have described here are anything to go by, then it was appropriate your children were placed somewhere else. You clearly were drinking to excess at home and causing all types of problems,’’ he said.

Thompson pleaded guilty to reckless driving, dangerous driving, drinkdriving, failing to stop for police, and two counts of failing to stop after an accident.

She was sentenced to seven months’ home detention, 150 hours’ community work, $3000 reparation and disqualified from driving for 20 months.

❛ I could feel the wheel of it hit my body. In the end she backed up and left me lying on

the roadway