Speedster fled drug dealer in road chase

Samuel Clint Anderson, 18, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, driving while forbidden and assault.

You put lives at risk - judge

Fleeing from your drug dealer is not a good argument for speeding, a judge has told a convicted speedster.

Samuel Clint Anderson, who told the court he was being chased by a drug dealer he owed money to, drove at "extreme" speed, crashing into two cars to get away.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, driving while forbidden and assault when he appeared before Judge Tom Broadmore in Masterton District Court this week.

However, he denied a charge of running down ducks on Memorial Drive.

His lawyer Ian Hard said he hadn't intended to hit the ducks.

"He regrets that."

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jodie Lawrence said that on December 13 Anderson was heading east on Upper Plain Rd about 12.30pm driving well above the posted speed limit of 50km/h.

Witnesses estimated his speed at about 100km/h, Ms Lawrence said.

Anderson dangerously passed a car on the roundabout joining Upper Plain Rd and Renall St, she said.

He then passed another car on railway tracks on Ngaumutawa Rd, clipping the side of it and smashing its front light off before undertaking a truck, Ms Lawrence said.

When police caught up with him he admitted to driving fast, she said. "He said he was running from a drug dealer chasing him."

Mr Hard said Anderson wasn't a hoon driver.

"He was being chased and feared he would be beaten up."

The assault charge related to Anderson punching his brother "in anger".

He and his brother had lived with their grandmother since their mother died last year and he was kicked out following the assault, Mr Hard said.

"He longs for this to be over so he can go home. He wants to put this behind him."

Judge Broadmore told Anderson he put lives at risk through his driving.

"It's unacceptable you should drive in this way. You put lives at risk ... fleeing from a drug dealer is hardly a persuasive argument."

Anderson was convicted, ordered to complete 100 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months on the driving charges and received a six-month suspended sentence on the assault charge.