Zane Allison, 30, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to three charges of drink-driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop to ascertain injury after a crash.
The court heard that the defendant held a learner’s licence when he was caught driving with a breath-alcohol reading of 741mcg in July and again in August when he returned a breath alcohol level of 506mcg.
The legal limit is 250mcg, but zero for learner drivers.
While on bail for those offences, on Christmas Eve, Allison got behind the wheel again.
This time he collided with a traffic island and two parked vehicles, causing one car to mount the kerb and travel across the centre line and on to the other side of the road.
Allison’s car crashed through a wooden fence before coming to a stop.
He fled the scene after climbing out the rear passenger window, but police later found him slurring his words and standing off balance.
The defendant soiled himself during the incident and was difficult to deal with during the arrest process, a police summary said.
A blood test revealed an alcohol level of 213mg. The legal limit is 50mg.
In explanation, Allison said: "I always drink".
Yesterday, counsel Anya Maule said that her client acknowledged that he had an issue with alcohol and planned to attend an eight-week rehabilitation programme next month.
Judge David Robinson said Allison’s pattern of offending was concerning, but it was encouraging that he wanted to address his problems.
"I can see his potential and I want him to succeed," Judge Robinson said.
The judge also noted the defendant had spent some time in custody after his most recent offence.
He sentenced the defendant to 100 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision and disqualified him from driving for one year and one day.
In 2022, Allison was sentenced to three months’ community detention and 350 hours’ community work after pleading guilty to careless driving causing the death of 62-year-old Lewis Gibson and careless driving causing the injury of a truck driver in October of the previous year.
A blood test showed Allison had cannabis and prescription medication in his system at the time of the crash.
He was ordered to pay the victims a "token" sum of $3000 and $1568 to cover blood-analysis fees.
