Driver is lucky to avoid a crash
A Timaru man with no driving licence ‘‘narrowly avoided’’ crashing into oncoming traffic while speeding away from police down a one-way Christchurch street.
Joshua Raymond Frewen, 27, appeared in the Timaru District Court on Monday on charges of dangerous driving, driving without a licence, failing to stop for police and breaching a protection order.
Judge Joanna Maze said about 7.30pm on a June evening in 2017, Frewen was driving down Devonport Lane when police signalled at him to pull over.
Ignoring the request from police, Frewen accelerated away towards Papanui Rd, where he was clocked driving at 90kmh in a 50kmh zone.
Judge Maze said Frewen carried on to Victoria St and then turned onto Salisbury St, driving the wrong way down the one-way street.
‘‘There was oncoming traffic and it was said that you narrowly avoided collision with other cars,’’ Judge Maze said.
‘‘But common sense says that on a Wednesday evening at about 7.30pm there would not be intensive traffic movement on Salisbury St,’’ Judge Maze added.
Defence Counsel Natalie Wham said Frewen had driven in place of friends, who despite not having driving licences, had been planning a trip.
Feeling he most the most able and capable driver, Frewen stepped into drive his friends, thinking that would be a ‘‘safer option’’.
‘‘He had no difficulty driving around Christchurch, but when a police car pulled up behind him, he panicked as he knew he didn’t have a licence,’’ Wham told the court.
‘‘He said what he did was pretty stupid.’’
Wham said the breach of the protection order involved communicating with his former partner over when he might be able to see their child.
Frewen’s former partner had initiated court proceedings resulting in him not being able to see his son, Wham said.
Wham said Frewen’s actions amounted to a ‘‘low level breach’’. He had since apologised to his former partner, with whom he now had a stable relationship, coparenting their child, Wham said.
Judge Maze said Frewen had previous similar driving offending dating from 2013, but did not possess an extensive history.
The protection order breach was also at the lowest end.
Frewen was sentenced to 50 hours of community work and banned from driving for six months.