Drunk driver left trail of destruction in Dunedin

A police summary of facts said McKenzie conducted "a figure eight turn" and immediately lost control of the vehicle, clipping a parked car on the other side of the road. Photo / 123RF

A decision to drive after a night of drinking left a trail of destruction through Mornington, a court has heard.

Phillip Craig McKenzie (32) had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving and failing to stop to ascertain injury when he appeared before the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

The refrigeration engineer left a bar in Mailer St at 8pm on August 1 and got behind the wheel of his work ute.

A police summary of facts said McKenzie conducted "a figure eight turn" and immediately lost control of the vehicle, clipping a parked car on the other side of the road.

The bewildered owner of the car was sitting in the driver's seat at the time, but rather than pull over, the defendant continued.

Next he mounted the kerb on the wrong side of the road and wiped out a bus stop sign before driving on up Mailer St.

A car travelling in the opposite direction had to swerve to avoid a collision, police said.

McKenzie turned into Elgin Rd and again lost control, crashing into a power pole on the opposite side of the road.

When he was taken to hospital, medical staff took a sample of blood which gave a reading of 216mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - more than four times the legal limit.

In explanation, McKenzie said he had "three or four jugs of beer" and was "just going home" at the time of the crash.

Counsel Noel Rayner said his client had written off the work vehicle he had been driving and was anticipating a civil liability of about $20,000.

He said McKenzie had been to alcohol counselling and had been abstinent since the incident.

The smash would have a further financial cost because now McKenzie had to be driven to various jobs by a colleague, which was losing him about $500 a week, Mr Rayner said.

Judge John Macdonald noted the defendant had been concerned by his own drinking before August and realised he had to do something.

But it was too late.

"You appreciate abstinence is really the only option that's going to work for you,'' the judge said.

McKenzie was sentenced to six months' supervision, fined $1759 and disqualified from driving for a year.