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A Wairarapa woman who drove into a crowd following an afternoon drinking, injuring her own brother, has been sentenced to home detention and community work.
Christine Wolland, of Eketahuna, had pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and another of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
Palmerston North District Court was told that Wolland had been drinking all afternoon, on July 8, at an Eketahuna rugby match.
After the game, match-goers were bussed to a nearby pub. Wolland recognised her ex-partner's car parked outside and "saw red", the Manawatu Standard reports.
The pair hadn't parted on good terms, the court was told, and Wolland had been left to raise a baby alone.
The ex-partner had left his keys in the ignition, so Wolland "gunned" the engine and drove at speed into an adjoining carpark where 10 patrons had gathered.
Two people were hit. One was Wolland's brother, who was seriously injured as he was struck "full force".
Wolland didn't have a "clear idea how far she was going to drive", defence lawyer Fergus Steedman said.
"She handled the car badly and people were hurt."
Wolland felt her ex-partner "owed her" because he hadn't provided ongoing support, Mr Steedman said.
Judge Alistair Garland said her actions held scant regard for the safety of others, though it was "implicit" injury was not intended.
Wolland had since mended the relationship with her brother and had family support.
Judge Garland gave Wolland six months' home detention, 200 hours' community work, and disqualified her from driving for two years.
- NZPA
