Drunk teen at wheel while sober girl injured

A teenager's drunken drive to buy McDonald's and more alcohol ended in an horrific crash which left three teens with grisly injuries.
Jesse Lee Rodgers, who was 18 at the time of the crash, pleaded guilty to three charges of drink driving causing injury, plus one of driving while suspended, when he appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday.
He has recovered from a head injury, but the court heard of the ongoing effects of the crash on his friends, especially a young girl who offered to be the sober driver but ended up a passenger instead.
The court heard how on December 3, Rodgers had been drinking with friend Daniel Setz, 18, and two 16-year-old twin sisters at a Tauriko woolshed.
One of the sisters was not drinking but went with the group when they decided to get McDonald's and more alcohol from town.
Although the 16-year-old was sober, it was arranged that Rodgers would drive down to the end of Omanawa Road, where the girl would take over.
The court heard how Rodgers did a series of "donuts" and drifting manoeuvres in a paddock for up to 10 minutes before leaving. After leaving, and travelling about five kilometres, the car left the road, careened through a fence, became airborne and smashed into the trunk of a tree.
Daniel was sitting in the passenger seat and the impact of the crash "de-gloved" his left arm.
The muscle and flesh from his elbow down was ripped off the bone and littered with glass and debris. He also suffered bleeding to the brain, a broken nose and two large cuts to fingers on his left hand.
The 16-year-old who had offered to be the sober driver suffered a severe head injury from which doctors say she will never recover.
She was placed in an induced coma for several weeks. In that time, the top part of her skull was completely removed to give the brain room to expand.
According to a summary of facts, the teen had suffered many complications in her recovery, and was now a mere shadow of herself both physically and mentally.
According to a report from ABI Rehabilitation Management, she will need help with things such as care and domestic tasks for the majority of her life.
Her twin suffered bruising and cuts and was discharged from hospital the following day.
When tested, Rodgers recorded a blood alcohol level of 115 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit for someone aged under 20 is 30mg per 100ml.
Rodgers had been on a learner's licence but it was suspended after he gained excess demerit points.
Rodgers was remanded on bail, to be sentenced on July 30, and faces up to five years' imprisonment.