An arrest warrant has been issued for a Tauranga lawyer after she failed to turn up to court to answer drink-driving and related charges.
The lawyer, 32-year-old Michaela Whatarau Milner, who failed to answer a summons to appear in Tauranga Registrar's Court yesterday, is charged with dangerous driving, refusing to allow a blood specimen to be taken, and driving under the influence of alcohol so as to be incapable of having proper control of a motor vehicle.
She is also charged with driving while suspended after she was allegedly caught driving again the day after her licence was revoked for 28 days, because of the first set of alleged offences.
Milner was initially charged after she allegedly refused to co-operate with police when stopped in Greerton in the early hours of May 29, and on May 30 was allegedly caught driving again on Cameron Rd, Tauranga.
Sergeant Wayne Hunter said Milner was first arrested after her car was allegedly caught on the city's security cameras driving in a manner that police allege was dangerous before she was pulled over in Greerton then refused to blow into a breathalyser or allow blood to be taken as part of routine drink-driving testing.
"She refused to give us anything so she got arrested," he said. Mr Hunter said that in his view it was an "accident waiting to happen".
"It's lucky no one was injured or killed."
Mr Hunter said it was disappointing a lawyer, who should know better, would behave in such a manner when stopped by police.
At the time of her arrest Milner was employed at Tauranga law firm Lyon, O'Neale, Arnold.
A partner at the firm told the Bay of Plenty Times last night that she resigned about a week ago.
Head of Western Bay road policing Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said once a warrant for arrest was issued by the court police actively executed the warrant by going to the defendant's last known home and workplace addresses, and any other places they were known to frequent.
Mr Campion said if police received information that led them to believe the wanted person was attempting to flee the country, a red flag was placed on their record which meant they could be arrested at the airport as they tried to leave, or immediately on their return to the country.
A red flag has been placed on Milner's file and her car remained in police lock-up after being impounded.
This case comes on the heels of a Tauranga doctor convicted for driving drunk after he fled from police and crashed into a building on June 17.
Last month Mustafa Sabanli, 30, pleaded guilty in Tauranga District Court to driving with excess breath alcohol, driving in a dangerous manner, failing to stop for police and failing to remain stopped.
He is due to be sentence in the same court on August 5.
- Kiri Gillespie and Sandra Conchie of the Bay of Plenty Times
