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WHAKATANE - One month after being deported from Australia at the end of a three-year prison sentence for dangerous driving causing death, a Kawerau man lost his life drink driving.
Whakatane police said blood results taken from the body of 26-year-old Billie Te Maipi Campbell confirmed he was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he drove off the road and hit a culvert, killing him instantly.
The crash happened on the outskirts of Edgecumbe in the eastern Bay of Plenty around 11am on May 12, during a police campaign to curb dangerous driving in the region.
A 20-year-old female passenger escaped with only moderate injuries.
Police already knew excessive speed and lack of safety restraints had played a part in the death.
Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins said confirmation Campbell had been drinking was the final evidence that he had been "playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun."
"In this case Campbell had a slim chance of survival indeed."
Mr Jenkins said Campbell had been back in New Zealand for just one month before he was killed, after having been deported from Australia.
"There, he had just finished a prison sentence for driving dangerously, causing death," Mr Jenkins said.
"He also had previous convictions for drink driving in New Zealand."
Mr Jenkins said the situation leading up to the crash was a recipe for disaster for some unlucky road user.
"On that particular day, after what we understand to be a night and a morning of drinking -- all the ducks were lined up and a situation that was almost guaranteed to create serious injury or death on our roads was unfolding."
Mr Jenkins said "social responsibility" could have prevented the tragedy.
"Who allowed him to drive off? Who gave him the keys to the car and why did the woman choose to get into the car with him?"
- NZPA
