A Hong Kong man, Chi Wong, faces hefty bills for a smash he caused when he drove drunk through a red light and crashed into an ambulance.
It seems likely St John Ambulance will pursue him directly for the $17,000 damage he caused to its vehicle.
Wong, 25, says he will be happy to pay even though he'll be out of the country.
He was driving in a borrowed car on Colombo Street in central Christchurch on July 6, and he had a woman passenger and a learner's licence.
He went through a red light and crashed into an ambulance returning to base, and there was damage to a third vehicle that was shunted in the crash.
He admitted to police that had drunk a dozen bottles of alcohol and his level was tested at 169mg of alcohol to 100ml of blood. The limit is 80mcg.
Defence counsel Phillip Allan told Christchurch District Court Wong's permit to be in New Zealand would expire in September. He had tried to leave the country last Monday but had been stopped at the airport and lost the airfare he had paid because it was non-refundable.
He had only $1600 remaining which was being depleted as he stayed on in a backpackers. He had to get to Australia to get work to pay for the damage.
Mr Allan said Wong could pay $800 - as well as another airfare - but would be unable to leave the country to get work if reparations were ordered.
Wong admitted driving unaccompanied on a learner's licence, careless driving, and driving with excess blood-alcohol.
Judge John Macdonald fined him $800, disqualified him from driving for a year and made no order for him to pay for the damage.
Mr Allan said it seemed St John would try to get the $17,000 directly from Wong. "He will be happy to pay it once he is in a position to make the payment."
Police prosecutor Nigel Wolland said: "It's a shame we can't get him doing some voluntary work for St John."
