Teacher who crashed was seven times legal limit

A teacher who flipped his car after a boozy session at a Dunedin pub was seven times the drink-drive limit, a court has heard.

John Poutu Herewini, 51, a teacher at East Otago High School, was found by police lying on the ground beside his upturned Mazda in Kaikorai Valley Rd on October 2.

He told officers he had consumed "two glasses of wine" but a subsequent blood test cast some doubt on that.

Herewini’s blood-alcohol level was 351mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

The legal limit is 50mg.

The defendant, who was listed as a "solo father" on documents, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday where he admitted charges of drink-driving and careless driving.

A police summary said Herewini pulled out of the Cableways Bar & Bistro carpark into Mellor St at 4.35pm and immediately travelled into oncoming traffic, hitting another Mazda.

After a brief wait at the traffic lights — still in the wrong lane — the defendant turned right into Kaikorai Valley Rd.

It was only metres before calamity struck again.

Herewini clipped the back of a parked Mitsubishi, causing his vehicle to flip on to its roof.

Cableways owner Arvind Singh said he reviewed CCTV footage from inside the bar, which showed the defendant buying a glass of wine and spending up to 15 minutes on the pokies before leaving.

He told the Otago Daily Times Herewini was "walking fine and talking fine" and did not appear obviously intoxicated.

Counsel Rose Morton told the court yesterday her client’s $17,000 car was written off in the crash and he was now undertaking counselling.

Community magistrate Sarah Steele said the defendant was to be commended for addressing his drinking issue.

Herewini was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision, disqualified for 10 months, fined $1500 and ordered to pay costs of $258.

East Otago High School acting principal Keith Fleury called it a "personal matter" but said they continued to back the staff member.

"Our board is well aware and the school is well aware and we're supporting him where we can," he said.

Because the charge of drink-driving carries a maximum penalty of three months’ imprisonment, the Teaching Council will be notified of Herewini’s crime.

A spokeswoman said the case would be triaged, allowing the teacher a chance to respond, which may result in a referral to the Complaints Assessment Committee, an independent panel made up of teachers and a lay person.

The matter may be dealt with by the committee or, in more serious cases, could be elevated to the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal.

Herewini was contacted for comment.

rob.kidd@odt.co.nz