Pregnant woman seriously injured in crash with repeat drink-driver

“[The driver] was shocked and emotionally distressed at the knowledge that he hit another vehicle with a person behind the wheel.” Judge Russell Walker

A “heavily pregnant” Queenstown woman was seriously injured when a repeat drinkdriver crossed the centre line and hit her car, a court has been told.

Raymond Daphord Hemi, 43, a concrete worker of Queenstown, admitted drinkdriving and injuring the woman on September 20, 2023.

He had a blood alcohol level of 193 milligrams per 100ml of blood, well above the legal limit of 50mg. He also admitted a second charge of driving with alcohol in his blood while on a zero alcohol licence.

During a sentencing hearing at the Queenstown District Court on Monday, Judge Russell Walker said Hemi had five previous drink-driving convictions and 45 previous convictions, including for breaking the jaw of a female bar worker while on community detention in 2021.

He sentenced Hemi to 19 months’ imprisonment.

The judge said Hemi had been at an Arrowtown bar with a friend on the night of the crash. The pair walked to the friend’s house afterwards and ate some food. Hemi believed he was fit to drive home.

He was driving along the Arrowtown-Lake Hayes highway when he crossed the centre line and collided with the heavily pregnant woman’s car.

According to the judge’s summary, Hemi told police he could not remember crossing the centre line.

This was the first time a person had been hurt as a result of his driving, Hemi said.

“He was shocked and emotionally distressed at the knowledge that he hit another vehicle with a person behind the wheel,” Judge Walker said.

The 27-year-old victim was sent to Dunedin Hospital because of the seriousness of her injuries.

Screws and wires were required to assist with recovery of her fractured talus – a bone in the ankle. Surgery was complicated as she could not have a general anaesthetic owing to her pregnancy. She required daily injections to be able to walk and had significant facial lacerations.

On the charge of drink-driving causing injury, Judge Walker sentenced Hemi to 19 months’ imprisonment and declined him leave to apply for home detention.

He was to pay emotional reparation of $1500 and disqualified from driving for 15 months.

On the charge of driving while on a zero alcohol licence, he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 15 months, to be served concurrently.