Drink-driver denies injuring officer

Senior Constable Sarah Lurajud. Photo / Simon Baker

A 23-year-old says he had no intention of injuring a police officer who tried to stop him driving off in a patrol car after being processed for drink-driving at a checkpoint.

Jamie Alan Sinclair, a labourer, denies the charge of injuring the officer while trying to get away after the crime of unlawfully taking the $40,000 patrol car.

The jury was told that he had earlier admitted the charge of taking the car, but he has denied the aggravated assault charge at the two-day trial in the Christchurch District Court before Judge Phillip Moran and a jury.

Crown prosecutor Tim Mackenzie said the incident took place just after the breath-testing checkpoint was set up in Buchanans Road, Hornby, about 10.20pm on January 9 last year.

Sinclair was stopped, failed the test and was charged with drink-driving. The level was so high that his licence was automatically suspended.

Mr Mackenzie said the police left a patrol car running at the front of the checkpoint to chase people who turned away when they saw it.

After being processed, Sinclair had jumped into this car and driven off while an officer, Constable Sarah Lurajud, tried to stop him. He accelerated away with her clinging to the side of the car. She was dragged about 17m along the road while the speed reached about 40km/h.

When she fell from the car she received a head injury and was knocked unconscious.

Sinclair dumped the car at a nearby tavern and continued on foot.

When police caught him he admitted it was stupid thing to do and he had just panicked and driven off.

Defence counsel Allister Davis asked the jury to consider the evidence carefully. The incident had lasted only three seconds and was simply a matter of Sinclair panicking - he never had any intention of injuring the constable.

The trial is expected to finish tomorrow.

- NZPA