Driver’s drunken lockdown burnout

‘‘There was a large amount of smoke and the smell of burning rubber in the street.’’ Toaiva Hitila

A Temuka man got drunk at a friend’s house and did a 67-metre burnout on the street outside before driving home, during Covid-19 level 4 lockdown rules.

Damon Tamati Rance Peeti blew 1158 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath – more than four times the legal limit of 250mcg – when stopped by police about 10.45pm on April 9, 2020.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol for the third or subsequent time and operating a motor vehicle causing sustained loss of traction when he appeared before Judge Joanna Maze in the Timaru District Court yesterday.

Peeti broke his bubble when he spent an evening drinking alcohol at a friend’s address, police prosecutor Toaiva Hitila told the court.

Deciding to drive home, he hopped in his Mercedes-Benz and ‘‘revved the accelerator excessively’’, Hitila said.

He accelerated the vehicle away from the roadside, its rear wheels spinning and leaving a large black mark where he had done a U-turn.

‘‘The vehicle was then stationary for a short time with the

Police prosecutor

wheels still spinning, before accelerating west up Denmark St.

‘‘There was a large amount of smoke and the smell of burning rubber in the street.’’

The resulting burnout was 67.6 metres long, Hitila said.

‘‘When spoken to by police, it was noticed the defendant was affected by alcohol. An evidential breath test showed 1158mcg.

‘‘In explanation, the defendant stated that he hadn’t been driving.’’

Judge Maze said Peeti’s last appearance for driving with excess breath alcohol was in 2011.

The judge remanded him on bail to appear for sentencing on August 5.

Hitila asked that a condition of Peeti’s bail be not to drive at night. The judge set the hours he could not drive as between 8pm and 5am.