Cheesecake mission ends with driver in court on another drink-drive offence

A drunk driver needed an emergency flight to hospital when he crashed his car while driving after he was suspended. Photo / Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust via Facebook

Wayne Gardner’s mission to the supermarket for cheesecake on a winter’s afternoon this year didn’t go to plan.

The weekend ended with two drink-drive offences a little more than 12 hours apart, and an emergency flight to the hospital after he crashed his car on the highway between Blenheim and Picton.

In the Nelson District Court on Monday Gardner admitted charges of driving with excess breath alcohol on a third or subsequent time, driving with excess blood alcohol on a third or subsequent, driving while suspended and careless driving.

The 48-year-old already had several drink-drive offences on his record dating back to 2006, when in May of that year he was convicted on a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol.

Just over a year later he was convicted of driving with excess blood alcohol and in June 2017 he was again convicted of driving with excess breath alcohol, but this time on a third or subsequent time.

He was caught again this year after he was stopped by police while driving on State Highway 1 at Spring Creek in Marlborough at about 3 pm on Saturday, August 27.

Gardner underwent an evidential breath test which showed he had been behind the wheel while just over four times the legal limit, with a breath alcohol reading of 1093 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

He told police he’d had three beers and was on his way to pick up a cheesecake from the supermarket.

The police suspended Gardner from driving for 28 days.

At 5.30am the next day Gardner was back driving on State Highway 1 near Tuamarina, the highway between Blenheim and Picton, but crossed the centreline into the southbound lane and crashed into a bank.

Due to his injuries, he was airlifted to Nelson Hospital where a blood sample showed he was still well over the legal limit, with a reading of 221 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 50mg per 100 ml.

Gardner was convicted and remanded for sentencing on February 20.