Drunk driver bit man after crashing into house

A young woman driving over the alcohol limit and under the influence of methadone lost control of her friend's car, crashed through a fence into a stranger's backyard, and bit the chest of a neighbour trying to stop her from fleeing.

Tarasha King, 18, was driving on Kane Rd, Papamoa, at 2.40pm on May 9 at 90km/h in a 50km/h zone, Tauranga District Court was told.

Pulling the car right on a moderate bend resulted in the vehicle skidding for some distance before crashing through a wooden fence, into a backyard and coming to rest near a set of swings, where children had been playing earlier in the day.

A dazed King tried to reverse the vehicle out of the yard but it was wedged on a large shrub.

When a neighbour tried to remove the keys her to prevent her leaving, she starting abusing and swearing at the man, before launching herself at him, biting his chest and holding on for about 20 seconds.

The attack caused the man to stumble backwards on to the roadway with King still locked on to his chest. When police arrived after neighbours called 111 she struggled wildly as she was taken back to the police station.

When a subsequent evidential breath test was taken, it revealed King had a breath alcohol level of 390 micrograms per litre of breath, well over double the under-20 limit of 150mcg.

King, who had been disqualified from driving for six months from January 1, had taken her friend's car keys without permission, and taken some of her friend's methadone before driving from Oropi to Papamoa.

King pleaded guilty in court to one charge each of assault, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, possessing a stimulant, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified (third or subsequent offence), exceeding the under-20 breath alcohol limit and failing to answer police bail. She was bailed for sentencing on August 4.

NZH