A convicted Arrowtown drink-driver will have to pay $4150 in reparation after she caused nearly $38,000 worth of damage in an early morning incident in the town in July.
Appearing in the Queenstown District Court yesterday, Anne Marie Patelesio (20) was ordered by Judge Dominic Flatley to pay the Queenstown District Council $3900 for damage to a traffic island and $250 excess on the property owner's insurance.
Patelesio was convicted on two charges last month after she admitted driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle over a traffic island, crashing it through a fence into a stone barbecue and ending up in a swimming pool at a Bedford St, Arrowtown, property about 3am on July 27.
At her sentencing last month, Judge Kevin Phillips questioned whether she had benefited financially from a deal with a television company which broadcast an interview with her.
TVNZ's 20/20 programme screened the interview on September 24.
Defence counsel Dale Lloyd told the court yesterday Patelesio had not received any money from the show's producers.
The television company had paid the car owner's daughter, she said.
It has previously been reported the car was a 4WD belonging to the mother of a friend of Patelesio.
In adjourning the case last month for a full reparation report, Judge Phillips said the owners of the property had applied to the court for a $250 excess on their insurance, but he needed to know the total cost of the damage.
Judge Flatley yesterday said the total bill came to $37,756.13 but he could not impose a reparation order to an insurance company.
It would have to file a civil action to get the money back.
However, he said the insurance company had indicated to the court it was reluctant to take civil action as it did not believe it could recover the debt from Patelesio.
Ms Lloyd said it would take Patelesio more than 14 years at $50 a week to pay back nearly $38,000.
She said Patelesio's sentence of community work impacted on time available to work.
She also had a significant student loan.
The court was told last month Patelesio had been drinking with friends in an Arrowtown bar the evening before the crash.
She went to a friend's house where she continued to drink.
About 3am, Patelesio took the 4WD and drove around Arrowtown.
She had been driving on Bedford St at a speed of about 80kmh when she failed to take a bend in the road and struck a traffic island.
The vehicle ploughed through a fence, on to a residential property and struck a stone barbecue.
It became airborne for 4m to 5m before landing in a swimming pool.
On the drink-driving charge, Patelesio was sentenced to 12 months' supervision, 250 hours' community work and disqualified for 12 months.
For dangerous driving, she was sentenced to 12 months' supervision, 100 hours' community work and disqualified for six months, all to run concurrently.
