May 05, 2010

Community work, driving ban for police chase

By Anne Clarkson

Some of the worst reckless driving the judge had ever seen led to a 20-year-old receiving 250 hours community work and disqualification for 12 months in the Christchurch District Court today.

Judge Stephen Erber told Nahana Te Rangi James Taia that it was a very bad case, and a collision would certainly have caused serious injury or death.

Taia was being sentenced on charges of reckless driving, failing to stop for a police car using its lights and a siren, and driving while his licence was suspended.

Defence counsel Paul Bradford told the court that Taia panicked when he saw the police as he was a disqualified driver and did not want his car impounded.

He said he was in a steady positive relationship with a baby on the way, and what he did on the day was a mind blank. Taia now felt sick at what he did and the risk to other people.

He felt remorse, and knew what he did was unacceptable. His probation report put him at a low risk of reoffending, Mr Bradford said.

Judge Stephen Erber said Taia was in a powerful motor vehicle and when the police tried to stop him he went 100kmh along Burwood Road, where he passed a vehicle on the left going around a roundabout.

He drove on the wrong side of the road to overtake a bus and went 150kmh to overtake a vehicle on Prestons Road.

Another police car found him in Daniels Road, and followed him when he drove along Tuckers Road on the wrong side. On Johns Road he was travelling at 140kmh, he said.

The high-speed police chase ended when Taia crashed into a police car in Russley Road.

Judge Erber said it was one of the worst instances of reckless driving he had seen.

Taia had a good record, with no previous convictions, and when he sentenced him to the 250 hours community work he said he did not agree with the probation report that supervision would be helpful for him.