Wellington hit and run: Alleged driver drunk with a suspended licence

Police at the crash scene near Te Papa Museum in Wellington. Photo / Ethan Griffiths

The driver accused of hitting two pedestrians in Wellington before fleeing the scene was allegedly nearly four times the legal limit and suspended from driving at the time of the crash.

The 23-year-old man appeared for the first time on Monday in the Wellington District Court before Judge Andrew Nicholls, who granted interim name suppression and bail.

He faces charges of excess breath alcohol causing injury, failing to stop to ascertain injury following a crash, failing to stop for Police, and driving while suspended.

According to charging documents seen by NZME in court, the man had a reading of 993 micrograms per litre of breath, just 7 micrograms short of being four times the legal limit of 250.

His family and partner were present in the courtroom when he appeared.

He and a 26-year-old woman were arrested on Sunday in relation to the serious crash on Cable St near Te Papa, which happened early that morning.

Police were called to the scene just after 1am after a report of a car hitting two pedestrians and fleeing the scene.

“Police immediately commenced area inquiries to find the car and it was located on Evans Bay Parade,” a police spokeswoman said.

Police said today in court there was the potential for more charges to be laid.

The two pedestrians were taken to hospital following the crash, one with serious injuries and the other critically injured.

Te Whatu Ora confirmed this morning one patient is in a critical condition in ICU, the other is in a stable condition on a ward.

The man was granted bail and interim name suppression and will re-appear on July 20 for further name suppression arguments and to enter a plea.

Hazel Osborne is an Open Justice reporter for NZME and is based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington. She joined the Open Justice team at the beginning of 2022, previously working in Whakatāne as a court and crime reporter in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.