Red light runner’s luck ends in crash
Roman Wathey got lucky three times as he roared through three red-lit sets of traffic lights with the police on his tail.
But on the fourth time his luck ran out. He smashed the car he was driving into a ute that was travelling with the right of way through the intersection of Norton and Hall Roads in central Hamilton.
The impact flipped the innocent motorist’s Toyota Hilux onto its roof, injuring a man and a woman who were inside.
When Wathey, 30, appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, it was on a raft of charges: reckless driving causing injury, failing to stop for police, driving while disqualified, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine, and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a knife.
They stemmed from an incident that began around 10.25pm on January 23 when Wathey was seen by a police patrol in Rifle Range Rd and – for a reason omitted in the police summary of facts – was signalled to pull over with the activation of the police car’s red and blue lights.
He didn’t stop and instead accelerated down Massey St.
He continued to chance his luck by speeding through red lights until he slammed into the Hilux and his brief, hasty flight was brought to a sudden end.
Both of the occupants of the ute were taken to Waikato Hospital with what were described at the time as moderate injuries.
The summary of facts does not detail why Wathey was compelled to run from the police.
It could have been because he had been issued with a six-month disqualification from driving in August the previous year.
It was more likely it was because, when police searched his vehicle after the crash, they found a wallet containing three grams of methamphetamine, inside a metal container, along with .23 grams of cannabis, metal electronic scales, and $122 in cash, and point bags commonly used by drug
‘‘Your performance over this time was nothing short of malicious criminal behaviour. You have to be responsible for yourself’’.
Judge Philip Connell.
dealers.
They also found a pipe with traces of methamphetamine residue and, under the driver’s seat, a knife with an extendable blade – that was extended.
Wathey’s offending did not impress Judge Philip Connell.
‘‘Your performance over this time was nothing short of malicious criminal behaviour,’’ he said.
‘‘You have to be responsible for yourself.
‘‘At the age of 30 you seem incredibly immature.’’
However the judge did take note of the submissions of Wathey’s counsel Glenn Dixon, that he had been accepted into the Tai Aroha residential programme for violent offenders.
It was a programme that he had previously been admitted to – and had subsequently absconded from – in 2015.
This time, however, he was determined to see it through.
It was an attitude reflected in a positive pre-sentence report by the Community Probations Service, and Judge Connell praised Wathey’s change in outlook.
‘‘I would be really surprised given your present attitude if you mess up with that.’’
He sentenced Wathey to four months of home detention.
Wathey was also disqualified from driving for three years – a disqualification that will take effect from February 9 next year.