A businessman from Australia who fled from a taxi, and then crashed his own rental car on a drunken drive around Queenstown, was "very lucky" no-one was killed, Judge Richard Russell said in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
Shaun Daniel Fitzgerald (38), of Queensland, was charged with drink-driving and careless driving.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin said the man fled from a taxi without paying after being driven from Queenstown town centre to a Frankton Rd Hotel, about 4am, on January 4.
Sgt Collin said the man then started up his own rental car and while reversing out of the drive, crashed into a stationary car.
He then drove back into Queenstown, reportedly "speeding and swerving", before doing a loop of the Shotover St and Stanley St roundabout and heading back to the hotel, where several minutes later Queenstown police found him asleep in the car.
Sgt Collin said Fitzgerald was a property consultant from Australia who was in Queenstown planning to set up a business.
Judge Russell said there was "no excuse" for his behaviour.
"This was a dreadful piece of driving and you were very lucky no-one was injured or even killed.
"You were three times the legal driving limit which is of real concern," he said.
A blood test by police showed 221mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
For the drink-driving conviction, he was ordered to pay a $1200 fine, $132.89 in court costs, $87.80 in medical fees, $32 in analyst fees and disqualified for 10 months.
For the careless driving conviction he was fined $350.
For the unpaid taxi fare, he was ordered to pay $100 in emotional harm reparation to the driver.
