A 20-year-old has admitted leading police on a chase through rural Otago which reached speeds of more than 150kmh.
Michael George Massie, a sawmill employee working in Richmond, was arrested in Waikouaiti last month following a pursuit which police said began in Nelson, during which his Subaru station wagon reached speeds of more than 150kmh.
Today before the Dunedin District Court, he pleaded guilty to charges of driving while disqualified, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.
While travelling through Palmerston at 3.30pm on October 14, Massie was clocked by police doing 62kmh in a 50khm zone.
However, when they tried to pull him over he put his foot down.
Massie drove at speeds as high as 100kmh in the town before continuing on State Highway 1 towards Waikouaiti.
In a bid to evade police, the defendant drove faster than 150kmh and at one stage passed vehicles on a blind corner by veering on to the wrong side of the road.
Dunedin police were preparing to lay road spikes to stop the southbound vehicle, but Massie turned off State Highway 1 at Waikouaiti and parked in a quiet spot, on Matanaka Dr, between a grove of pine trees and the beach.
The vehicle was found by police about 4.40pm, but no-one was inside.
Officers monitored the area and spotted the man, wearing a blue T-shirt and with his cap on backwards, walking across a field back towards Matanaka Dr, holding a soft drink.
When he was arrested, Massie admitted he had been behind the wheel.
Defence lawyer Andrew More said shortly before the incident, his client had received some concerning news after an MRI scan on his brain showed some abnormalities.
On the day in question, Massie was heading to Invercargill to consult his doctor about the test results.
His frame of mind contributed to his poor decisions during the journey, Mr More said.
It was also revealed in court today that Massie had been indefinitely banned from driving after appearing in the Invercargill District Court almost a year ago on driving matters.
Mr More asked for the case to be transferred to Invercargill for sentencing because that was where his client's support network was.
He admitted Massie's criminal history was “unenviable” and would apply for bail on behalf of his client this afternoon.
The matter is expected to be sent to Invercargill District Court for sentencing next month.
- by Rob Kidd
