Tony John Keith (26), of Alexandra, pleaded guilty to four charges arising from the crash on the Little Valley Rd bridge across the Manuherikia River in Alexandra on June 13. He admitted drink-driving with a breath-alcohol level of 669mcg, careless driving, resisting a police officer and refusing to accompany a police officer.
Prosecutor, Sergeant Ian Collin, said the deck of the single-lane wooden bridge was icy that night and Keith was driving too fast, lost control and hit the bridge, breaking 36m of bridge posts. He was examined at the scene by St John ambulance staff but had no injuries.
When told by police he was required to carry out a breath-screening test he had ''pulled away '' from police and after being arrested he had again tried to pull away, ''jerking from side to side''.
Counsel Justine Baird said the bridge was costly to repair ''so it wasn't the most economic accident to have''.
Keith had lost his employment as a result of the accident but had since found another job.
She submitted community work and reparation would be an appropriate penalty and said: ''He will be paying off fines and reparation for most of his life, I suspect''.
Judge Dominic Flatley adjourned the case to get information on whether the bridge owner - the Central Otago District Council - had any insurance against such damage.
''The council could be waiting a long, long time to get money out of him because of his financial position,'' Judge Flatley said.
After the adjournment, Sgt Collin said the council could not claim insurance and the cost of repairs would be funded 52% by central government and 48% by the council.
The defendant was sentenced to 150 hours' community work on the drink-driving charge and for resisting police.
On the careless driving charge, he was ordered to pay $13,927 reparation. Keith was convicted and discharged on the charge of refusing to accompany police.
He was disqualified from driving for a year.
