Fleeing suspended Tauranga driver put son and other motorists at risk

Recidivist suspended driver Hazel Maureen Hape pleaded guilty to more driving charges in the Tauranga District Court on Monday. Photo / File

A suspended Tauranga driver involved in a high-speed chase told police she finally stopped because her son was in the car and she did not want to die like the "other idiots".

Hazel Maureen Hape, 28, pleaded guilty to five charges in the Tauranga District Court on Monday, one charge each of dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, and resisting arrest, and two charges of driving while suspended.

The court heard that in December 2015 Hape was convicted of four charges of driving while suspended or while her licence was revoked.

On October 3 last year, Hape was suspended from driving again for three months due to excess demerit points.

On October 20, she was spotted by police driving over the 100km/h speed limit on State Highway 1 in Wellsford.

When police signalled for Hape to pull over, she sped off through a windy section of road, and her vehicle was unstable during cornering manoeuvres.

Hape reached speeds of up to 150km/h as she overtook several cars with her 16-month-old son strapped in the rear seat.

Hape only stopped after a 4km-long police pursuit just prior to the Te Hana township.

She then refused to get out of the car, kicked out with her jandalled feet, and pulled her arm away when a police officer tried to handcuff her.

Hape told police she was driving home after having an argument with her sister and did not stop because she knew her licence was suspended.

Hape said she finally decided to stop because of her son and she also did not want to end up dead like those "other idiots" killed on the roads.

The other driving while suspended conviction stemmed from Hape being caught driving on 11th Avenue on November 30 after being stopped for a compulsory breath test.

Judge Christina Cook told Hape that given her criminal history and recent offending she was not prepared to sentence her without a community probation report.

Hape was remanded on bail pending sentencing on February 21.