A 39-year-old man did "wheel spins" in his van outside the Napier police station before leading them on a road chase. Yesterday he appeared in the Napier District Court..
Terry Robert Lilley, of Napier, pleaded guilty to six driving charges, including three charges of operating a motor vehicle causing loss of
traction.
Police prosecutor John Ashfield said Lilley was drinking alcohol in his parked van, on Monday evening, in Napier, when he started his car and performed "donuts" - an action that causes the car to spin around while heavy acceleration is applied.
Later that evening, he drove to a carpark near the Tamatea Shell petrol station, where he continued to do donuts. He then decided to show Napier police officers his wheel spins outside the police station, on Station St.
Officers heard the screeching tyres and went outside to investigate. Lilley then fled the area and led police on a high speed chase through the CBD.
He sped through a red traffic light and several Give Way signs. He drove up a one-way street in the wrong direction and even went through the bollards and on to the footpath.
Police believed Lilley was 30 to 40kmh over the speed limit during the chase until he smashed into a Give Way sign and became stuck on a traffic island.
He was breath tested and blew 481mcg. The legal limit is 400mcg per litres of breath.
Judge Bridget Mackintosh suggested Lilley may have had "issues" going on in his life and remanded him for sentencing on May 29.
