An Allenton man has learned his lesson following a drink driving incident in July.

Jack Liam Withell-O’Grady, 19, had consumed two jugs of alcohol “in quick succession” at a local bar before getting in his car to drive home.

Withell-O’Grady drove down Queens Drive in Ashburton where he collided with a concrete island before continuing to drive and mount a footpath before coming to a stop.

A police breath test revealed 600 micrograms of alcohol in his breath, over double the legal limit. Magistrate Sarah Steele had some choice words for Withell-O’Grady.

“Young people are not as good at seeing the consequences of their actions. They’re not as good at forward thinking.

“If you’re 19, you can’t drink any alcohol and drive.”

Lawyer Gretchen Hart said no one was more disappointed in Withell-O’Grady than himself.

She said his family and friends vouched for his usually careful and well-planned manner, and said the incident was out of character and surprised them all.

Withell-O’Grady pleaded guilty to the charges of careless driving and drink driving, was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and disqualified from driving for six months.

Falling asleep at the wheel

A Hurunui man was lucky to have survived an incident after crashing on the Rakaia bridge.

Seth George Arnold Corbett, 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless vehicle operation following an incident on December 10.

Corbett had been at a party the night before and had quickly sobered up to go home as he was going hunting early the next morning.

At around 6.45am, Corbett and a hunting friend were on the road, with Corbett in the driver’s seat. He’d driven onto the highway and all of a sudden crashed on the Rakaia bridge and caused a buildup of traffic.

Corbett told police he doesn’t recall the moments beforehand and said he may have fallen asleep at the wheel. A blood test came up empty for traces of alcohol.

The friend was treated for a fractured back, and Corbett himself suffered some injuries.

Magistrate Sarah Steele said Corbett was in an unfortunate situation.

Duty lawyer Paul Bradford asked Steele for a backdated driving disqualification, as Corbett’s injury had rendered him unable to drive since the incident.

Corbett was convicted, ordered to pay a $450 fine, and disqualified from driving for six months.

The disqualification was backdated to March 13, which means he can reapply for a licence in September.

Colliding with a power pole

A Maungati woman has pleaded guilty after a dangerous joyride.

Caitlin Alexander, 22, was charged with careless vehicle operation after hitting a power pole while driving.

Alexander was driving recklessly down Braemar Lauriston Road in June when the wet weather caused her to lose traction and collide with the pole.

Alexander will be sentenced in September.

Driving with excess breath alcohol

A Netherby man has been charged with driving with more than double the legal limit of alcohol in his system.

Kalifa Faalogo Faalogo, 48, breath tested at 690 micrograms of breath alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250 micrograms.

He was stopped at a routine testing checkpoint down Bridge Street in Ashburton.

Faalogo had appeared previously on a similar charge in 2014.

“It is of some concern to the court that you have these two charges,” Magistrate Steele said.

Faalogo received a $50 fine and is disqualified from driving for six months.

Driving while disqualified

An Allenton man has pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified.

Frank Jeffrey Davison, 57, was caught driving down Chalmers Avenue in Ashburton when he had been disqualified from driving.

Davison’s licence had been revoked for medical reasons in October last year, and he was caught driving illegally in January.

Lawyer Gretchen Hart said Davison had, ironically, been driven to church by his friend and was driving from his friend’s place back to his home.

Magistrate Steele said she hoped this would be a lesson learned.

“For the next six months, you’re not going to be able to even think about [driving].”

Davison must pay a $100 fine and is disqualified for a further six months.

Drink driving at over triple the limit

A Netherby man was caught driving with triple the legal limit of alcohol in his breath.

Peter Edmund John Vaughan, 47, pleaded guilty to careless and drink driving charges in the Ashburton District Court.

Vaughan had been at a local pub “playing the pokies,” before driving down Princes Street on the night of July 16.

He took the corner too wide and crashed. When breath tested by police, he blew 775 micrograms of breath alcohol.

Magistrate Steele said, though Vaughan had shown remorse and knew he shouldn’t have been driving, actions spoke louder than words.

“You are at an age where you are supposed to be able to see the consequences of your actions,” she said.

“In this case, you haven’t done that.”

Vaughan must pay a $700 fine and is disqualified from driving for the next six months.

Car crash on the highway

An Ashburton man has been convicted and discharged following a genuine accident.

On May 6, Stephen Alan Webster, 22, was waiting to turn right off Pendarves Rakaia Road onto the highway.

He did not spot the victim’s car and collided with the rear end of that vehicle.

The victim suffered concussion, a sore neck and shoulder following the crash, and damage was done to the car.

Magistrate Steele said the crash had been an “accident in the true term of the word.”

Webster had paid the victim $1000 so far in repairs and emotional harm payments, which bodes well for him, Steele said.

Lawyer Gretchen Hart had asked for any driving disqualification that Webster received to be backdated, which police were not opposed to.

Steele convicted and discharged Webster, and disqualified him from driving for six months, backdated to June 11.