Crash could have been worse, judge says

OAMARU

A CRASH which left a recidivist drunk driver with serious injuries could have had more tragic consequences, a judge says.

Shannon Ira Ronaldson (46), farm worker, of Kurow, admitted driving with a bloodalcohol level of 135mg per 100ml of blood, and careless driving, on October 3 last year.

In his summing up, Oamaru District Court Judge Dominic Dravitzki said the defendant had been drinking at a hotel in Otematata before he attempted to drive the 74km to his home in Queen’s Flat, Waitaki.

He was driving his ute east along State Highway 83, between Otematata and Kurow, when he lost control on a righthand bend, drove off the lefthand side of the road, and crashed 15m down a bank. The ute continued rolling until it came to rest on the lake Waitaki foreshore.

The defendant was cut from his vehicle by firefighters and treated at the scene by ambulance staff, before being flown by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital.

He had five broken ribs and numerous cuts, abrasions and bruises.

Ronaldson had two previous convictions for drinkdriving, with matching breath alcohol levels of 1134mcg, in 2004 and 2016.

Defence counsel Katherine Henry said her client was still suffering from the aftereffects of the crash, with an injured shoulder, sore ribs and memory problems.

He had seriously reduced his drinking and felt uncomfortable driving since the accident. She suggested a sentence of intensive supervision.

Judge Dravitzki said Ronaldson’s two previous convictions were in very similar circumstances to the latest instance. If it were not for the defendant’s rural address making it unsuitable, the judge said he would have considered a sentence of community detention.

Ronaldson was convicted on both charges. For drinkdriving he was disqualified from driving for 28 days with provision to apply for an interlock licence, followed by a zeroalcohol licence. He was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision with special conditions including alcohol and drug counselling, and an order not to consume alcohol or drugs unless prescribed by a doctor. He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours’ community work.

For careless driving, he was fined $250, $130 court costs. He was also ordered to pay $111.99 medical costs.