A Whangarei woman who led police on a chase before crashing her car through a fence, tried to evade officers because she didn't have a licence and was drunk.
Jasmine RUKA, 19, appeared in Whangarei District Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while unlicensed, failing to stop for police and driving with excess breath alcohol.
Police said Ruka was arrested on February 28, this year, after officers tried to pull her over at 10.30pm on Kiripaka Rd, Tikipunga.
The summary of facts to the court said officers activated their lights and siren, but Ruka failed to stop and turned on to Hinau St, and accelerated far in excess of the 50km/h speed limit on the road.
Ruka turned into a private driveway and continued to try to evade police.
At the end of the driveway she crashed into a fence.
A breath test showed she had a level of 490 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, There is a zero alcohol limit for motorists aged under 20, while the limit for those over 20 is 400mcg.
In explanation Ruka told police she didn't stop because she didn't have a licence and she was also drunk.
She was sentenced to 185 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision and disqualified from driving for 12 months from July 23.
Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving in the country, particularly repeat offenders, and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink driving offences in the region.
Also sentenced in Northland's courts were:
Richard Lance MANA, 41, 724mcg, 200 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for 12 months for third drink driving conviction.
Kayla Veronica STEVENS, 21, mother, 654mcg, $550 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.
Adam PERKINSON, 29, 171 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, $550 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.
Liquor limits: Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Under 20: Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 will receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit over that will continue to be subject to the same drink drive penalties as adults.