A Queenstown teenager who rolled his car, leaving two friends injured, was still affected by alcohol from the night before, a court has heard.
About 1.30pm on November 6, Zachary Patrick Thomas was exceeding the 60kmh speed limit on Gorge Rd, near the resort town’s centre, when his SUV veered on to gravel on the left-hand shoulder of the road.
The 19-year-old, who had his flatmate and another friend with him, lost control of the vehicle and it left the road, rolling several times before coming to rest in a paddock.
All three were taken to Lakes District Hospital for treatment, with the female victim suffering a broken wrist, concussion and lacerations, and the male victim suffering concussion as well as a cut to the head.
Thomas provided a blood specimen at the hospital, which came back with a result of 62mg — the alcohol limit for under-20 drivers is zero.
He was sentenced at the Queenstown District Court yesterday on charges of careless driving causing injury, under-20 drink-driving and another drink-driving charge arising from an incident in Auckland on April 22 last year, when he recorded a breath-alcohol level of 689mcg.
Defence counsel Bryony Shackell said Thomas had been drinking the night before the Queenstown incident.
About 9am the next day, the female victim asked him for a ride home.
He told her he was not safe to drive, but at 1.30pm, decided the alcohol would be out of his system.
‘‘He didn't eat, he probably hadn't slept enough and it simply wasn't long enough, but he certainly tried to do the right thing.’’
Ms Shackell said a judge in the North Shore District Court told the defendant he could be granted a discharge without conviction for his April offending if he underwent alcohol counselling, completed a defensive driving course and got his restricted driving licence.
He had met all those conditions, but the November incident meant he had lost that opportunity.
He was a full-time hospitality student at Queenstown Resort College, but was also working at a bar to make ends meet.
Judge Mark Williams said it was fortunate all three occupants of the vehicle were able to ‘‘walk away’’ from the crash, but the two passengers had received physical injuries and both had reported suffering a psychological impact.
The defendant had clearly not waited long enough for the alcohol to leave his system, which he put down to his youth ‘‘clouding your judgement’’.
He would not impose a fine or reparation because the defendant had little savings and was working long hours to cover his living expenses.
He entered the three convictions, imposed a sentence of 12 months’ supervision and disqualified Thomas from driving for 12 months.
