Jail after 200 metre drunk, disqualified drive

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 301, 25 August 1989, Page 16

Jail after 200 metre drunk, disqualified drive

A Waimarino forestry hand was jailed for two months for driving while disqualified and driving with an excess breath alcohol level last week.

Douglas Wayne Te Huia, 29, was charged with driving while disqualified and with a breath-alcohol level of 650:1 in Miro Street Ohakune on 22 July. Te Huia had been disqualified for a very serious offence involving and accident and injury to another person and, because of his circumstances, a further fine was not possible because it could not be paid within the statutory 12 months. The defendant's counsel told the court Te Huia had taken over the driving of the car because the previous driver had almost collided with parked cars

and that the defendant had realized it was unsafe for him to continue driving. He said the car couldn't be left there and that they had only 200 metres to drive so had decided for safety to drive on to the house. Judge Laing said the only proper course of action would have been to take the keys and walk. He said if the car could not be left where it was the most a disqualified driver should dare to do would be to park the vehicle safely. Te Huia was disqualified from driving for a further six months on the disqualified driving charge.and an indefinite

term for the drink driving charge.