Row sparks drink-driver crash

Six Wairarapa men were this week convicted in Masterton District Court for drink-driving.

Six Wairarapa men have been convicted of drink-driving.

In Masterton District Court this week, Rodney David Aldon Cornes, Moana Charles Styles, Richard Alan Wildman, Kevin John Shaw, Kelsey Drew Dittmer and Shannon Richard Harris all pleaded guilty to driving with either excess breath or blood alcohol levels.

They received various sentences including fines, community work, supervision, counselling and driving disqualifications.

Many of them were driving almost double the legal limits of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood or 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

Judge Barbara Morris said it was lucky that they hadn't killed or hurt anyone. Styles, a 34-year-old builder, was driving on SH2 when he crashed his car.

He had a reading of 794mcg of alcohol per litre of breath, almost double the limit.

The car was written off.

"You are just fortunate that you have not struck another car," said Judge Morris.

He was sentenced to nine months' supervision, alcohol counselling and disqualified from driving for seven months.

Harris, who was convicted of excess breath alcohol and careless driving, had a reading of 646mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

The incident happened after he had an argument with someone. He sped off in a car, spun out and hit a parked car with such force it was shunted backwards.

"Fortunately you were not hurt or killed, or an innocent bystander," said Judge Morris.

Wildman, a counsellor, had an excess blood level reading of 152mg. His lawyer Jock Blathwayt said it was a lapse.

Shaw had over double the legal limit with a reading of 1029 mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

Defence lawyer Peter Stevens said Shaw had been receiving treatment for alcohol addiction.

"This incident has come about as a result of a relapse."

Judge Morris ordered more counselling as part of his sentence.