Driver incoherent at crash scene

A dangerous driver was so inebriated at a crash scene police officers could not have a proper conversation with him, a court heard.

By the time law enforcement caught up with Timothy O’Brien last October his car had already hit a street sign, been seen driving erratically for kilometres and only narrowly avoided a head on collision with another motorist.

And while police had trouble talking to him, a breath test revealed he was more than four times over the legal alcohol limit – blowing what his lawyer Susan Hurley described as an ‘‘extremely high reading’’ – 1105 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250mcg.

Judge Chris Sygrove told the New Plymouth District Court how O’Brien had four previous convictions for drink-driving, which he saw as an aggravating factor in the case.

The judge said, on October 19 about 12.45pm, the 37-year-old was driving on Main North Rd at Motunui , which is part of State Highway 3.

As O’Brien approached the intersection with Turangi Rd, he swerved to the left to avoid a right-turning vehicle.

His car left the road and hit a street sign at the intersection, which snapped the wooden post.

He then continued on towards Urenui, his driving becoming increasingly erratic as he crossed the centre-line and wove within his own lane.

When the defendant attempted to negotiate a right-hand bend, he crossed the centre line instead and narrowly missed an oncoming vehicle.

O’Brien’s car then crashed into a bank on the opposite side of the road.

‘‘Members of the public held you until police arrived,’’ Judge Sygrove said.

Two partially consumed bottles of vodka were found on the front passenger seat of O’Brien’s car but officers were unable to adequately communicate with the defendant due to his level of intoxication.

O’Brien, who previously pleaded guilty to driving in a dangerous manner and drinkdriving on a third or subsequent occasion, was sentenced on Wednesday.

Hurley acknowledged the ‘‘extremely high reading’’ and that O’Brien knew he had taken ‘‘extreme risks’’ when he decided to drive.

She said he had since engaged with alcohol and drug treatment but had no address available to him to serve an electronically monitored sentence.

After taking into account the defendant’s guilty pleas, the judge sentenced O’Brien to 15 months’ jail and indefinitely disqualified him from driving.

Leave was granted for O’Brien to apply for home detention if he could find a suitable address.