A teenage boy who feared for the safety of his 12-year-old sister and her friend confiscated his drink-driving mother's car keys and a partly consumed bottle of gin, then called police.
Judge Paul Kellar convicted Tracey Cless Jefferies, 44, of Wanaka, in the Queenstown District Court yesterday after she admitted
drink-driving on February 19.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Ian Collin, said Jefferies drove to pick up her 15-year-old son at 7.30pm and had her daughter and daughter's friend in the car with her.
"She had been drinking vodka and was intoxicated."
Mr Collin said Jefferies drove from the New World car park in Wanaka towards her home.
"Her 15-year-old son realised his mother was highly intoxicated after she started to drive towards on-coming traffic.
"He feared for the safety of all and made her stop the car.
"He seized a partly consumed bottle of gin, the keys to the vehicle and a cellphone to call for help."
The teenager called police and then told his mother, who ran away. She was found almost five hours later.
Jefferies told police she had not consumed any further alcohol, but a breath test showed she was still over the legal driving limit.
"She admitted she was an alcoholic and needed some assistance."
Jefferies' vehicle had already been surrendered.
Judge Kellar entered the conviction, but remanded her on bail to April 19 for sentencing, with a condition that she was not to drive a vehicle.
He ordered a pre-sentence report to look at whether supervision and community detention were appropriate.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
