Driver’s white rabbit defence fails to fly

A man caught driving more than five times over the legal limit claimed he crashed because he was swerving to avoid a white rabbit.

Oleksandr Zhukov was charged with careless driving and drinkdriving after crashing his car on Cannington Rd in Dunedin on April 6.

The 43-year-old claimed he swerved his car to avoid a white rabbit, but his breath alcohol reading suggested another reason.

He recorded 1287 milligrams of alcohol per litre of breath – more than five times the legal limit of 250mcg.

Zhukov’s reason for the crash did not wash with Judge Dominic Flatley in the Dunedin District Court yesterday morning.

‘‘You didn’t have the accident because you swerved to avoid any animals, you had an accident because you were intoxicated,’’ the judge said.

Judge expressed doubt over Zhukov’s claim that he shared a single bottle of wine with his wife. ‘‘You must have drunk a lot of alcohol.’’

If Zhukov had a drinking problem, he needed to acknowledge it and the risks he created if he got behind the wheel again, the judge said.

The first-time offender was fined $1750 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Meanwhile, a man who allegedly sexually violated a woman in an Otago public toilet has been remanded in custody.

The 33-year-old tradesman was to appear before Judge Flatley in the Dunedin District Court yesterday but his case has been adjourned until Friday and his lawyer has applied for interim name suppression on his behalf.

The incident happened in Waihola, about 40 kilometres south of Dunedin, about 6.10pm on April 20.

The victim was a woman aged in her 30s.