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A Taranaki policeman has resigned after admitting crashing a patrol car while driving drunk.
Constable Hamish Valentine Charles Hardy, 29, had an alcohol reading of 131 milligrams per 100ml of blood when he lost control of the car on Veale Rd, New Plymouth, at 2am on August 3. The legal limit is 80mg.
He was off duty at the time and was not authorised to drive the car.
The Highway Patrol officer had been stood down on full pay while police investigated the accident, the Taranaki Daily News reported.
Hardy's resignation was made public yesterday when he appeared in New Plymouth District Court to admit charges of drink driving and careless driving.
Crash investigators told the court Hardy had travelled 63 metres on the wrong side of the road before he hit a power pole.
Prosecuting Sergeant Craig Jones said Hardy's car then rolled on to its roof and crossed back to the left hand lane before coming to rest on the right hand side of the road.
Hardy was taken to hospital with a fractured rib and cuts to his arm, mouth and head.
He was fined $800, ordered to pay court costs, and lost his licence for eight months.
Central region district commander Superintendent Russell Gibson confirmed Hardy's resignation.
"It's disappointing whenever anyone leaves the police but it's also disappointing the way he did it," he said.
Defence counsel Haam Raumati said Hardy was embarrassed by his actions, had shown extremely poor judgment and had resigned from his job before appearing in court.
"It's the end of a career that he was very proud of," he said.
- NZPA
