Jeremiah Jake Jnr Van Der Laan, 19, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to two charges of drink-driving and dangerous driving.
The court heard that on December 23, the defendant was stopped at an alcohol checkpoint and blew 501mcg — the legal limit for drivers under 20 is zero.
Less than a week later, Van Der Laan was intoxicated behind the wheel again.
Police stopped him after they received complaints about his driving and testing procedures revealed a breath-alcohol level of 593mcg.
The defendant told police he had had half a box of alcohol.
On February 6, Van Der Laan crashed into a middle barrier on the motorway, causing his car to spin 180 degrees.
He got into a member of the public’s passenger seat and fled the scene.
Yesterday, counsel Noel Rayner said his client had been struggling with his mental health at the time of the offences.
He highlighted the defendant’s youth and that he had no prior convictions.
Judge Emma Smith said the defendant’s driving had been ‘‘very disturbing and concerning’’, but given the factors his lawyer highlighted she imposed ‘‘quite a lenient sentence’’.
The judge fined Van Der Laan $1200, ordered him to pay court costs of $148 and disqualified him from driving for eight months.
