Fine for crash in front of cop

COURT NEWS

Scott Mike Faulkner pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and driving with excess breath alcohol when he appeared in the Dannevirke District Court.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Ollie Outtrim said on December 12, Faulkner was driving south in a 70km/h zone on SH2 near Makirikiri on the outskirts of Dannevirke.

‘‘[He] has come around the bend and accelerated heavily but when he saw a police patrol vehicle on the side of the road, he has braked heavily causing him to skid across the intersection of Makirikiri Rd and the state highway.’’

Mr Outtrim said Faulkner hit a fence before driving about 50m down Makirikiri Rd.

The length of his skidmarks suggested his speed was at least 106km/h, Mr Outtrim said.

Faulkner told police he was heading home and panicked when he saw the police car.

Ablood test produced a result of 109 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The limit is 80mg.

Faulkner, who represented himself in court, said he disputed the police claim that he was rapidly accelerating and changing gears but admitted to drink driving. He also asked Judge Evangelos Thomas for a fine instead of community work.

‘‘The clutch in the car is broken so there is no way I could have been changing gears but yeah, I was drunk,’’ Faulkner said.

Judge Thomas said Faulkner’s driving put himself and others in danger.

‘‘Drink driving and speeding in a dodgy car in a 70km zone is a recipe for disaster,’’ Judge Thomas said.

‘‘What brought you to the attention of police is the fact you took the corner far too fast and you skidded across the road putting yourself and others in danger.’’

Faulkner was convicted on both charges. On the dangerous driving charge, he was fined $300 and disqualified for six months. On the driving with excess breath-alcohol charge, he was fined $400, ordered to pay court cost of $132 plus medical and analyst’s costs.

Drink-driver had three big bottles

Dwayne Lyall Campbell, 28, unemployed of Dannevirke, was fined when he appeared on a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol.

Campbell was stopped at a random check and found to be drink driving at about 11pm on June 8. Abreath test revealed a breath-alcohol level of 563mcgs. The legal limit is 400mcgs. Campbell admitted to police he had consumed three large bottles of beer before getting behind the wheel.

He was convicted and fined $450, ordered to pay court costs of $132.89 and disqualified from driving for six months.