Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Farmer drove while on drugs

Mike Dinsdale
By Mike Dinsdale
Editor. Northland Age·Northern Advocate·
26 Mar, 2013 06:35 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Driving after taking valium and methadone has cost a "stupefied" Whangarei farmer his licence.

Other motorists prevented Michael John Hewson from continuing after a bout of dangerous driving.

The 36-year-old appeared in Whangarei District Court on charges of driving under the influence of drink or drugs for a third or subsequent time and dangerous driving.

Hewson was driving a Holden Rodeo ute on Pipiwai Rd on New Year's Eve when the vehicle started weaving across the centreline, alerting other motorists. Hewson continued along Dip Rd where he stopped his vehicle in the middle of the road, blocking the carriageway, before getting out with a dog, leaping on the bonnet and trying to sleep.

He then returned to his vehicle and drove off towards Three Mile Bush Rd, but stopped the ute again on the pedestrian crossing outside Hurupaki Primary School. Again Hewson got out and slumped on the bonnet trying to sleep, before getting back in the vehicle and heading back towards Pipiwai.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, he drove on the wrong side of the road and over a roundabout, causing several vehicles to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

Hewson continued to drive west, crossing onto the wrong side of the road for long periods and at times didn't even react to on-coming vehicles while he was in the wrong lane.

After stopping the ute other motorists approached the vehicle, and prevented him from driving.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When police arrived Hewson was in a stupefied state and when it was established he was not under the influence of alcohol he was asked to undergo drug impairment tests, but was unable to do so because of his stupefied state. A nurse's attempt to take a blood sample from him to check for drugs was unsuccessful do to extensive scar tissue on his veins. A doctor then established Hewson was in no fit state or capable of driving.

Hewson told police he had taken valium and methadone.

He was fined $750, ordered to pay $132 in court costs and banned from driving for 12 months and one day.

Also convicted of driving under the influence of drugs in Northland recently was Karlina Joyce Oppert, 24, who was fined $630, ordered to pay $771 in analysis fees and disqualified from driving for six months after she had cannabis in her system.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

More than 170 customers south of Cape Rēinga are still without power.

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM
Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP