A man who drove under the influence of methamphetamine and diazepam, causing a three-car crash, was told he will die if he does not control his addiction.
Shaun Leslie Ratcliffe (41) appeared in the Invercargill District Court this week after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs, careless driving and driving while forbidden.
Judge Catriona Doyle said the defendant was lucky the October events did not end in death, but warned things could get worse.
"If you don’t get in control of the addiction that you have, you will die.
"You have an appalling criminal history."
The only thing that saved the defendant from imprisonment was he did not have similar convictions in the past 10 years.
In October, police saw Ratcliffe driving in the wrong lane in Bowmont St, before an oncoming vehicle prompted him to move back.
They saw the man slumped in his seat with his head tilted back and eyes shut, the court heard.
He veered left and hit the back of a parked car, causing that car to rear-end the vehicle in front.
Ratcliffe’s car became airborne and rolled on to its roof before coming to a stop.
He crawled out of the car and lay on the road, and was then taken to Invercargill Hospital.
Blood analysis revealed he had meth and diazepam in his system.
Judge Doyle sentenced him to one year of intensive supervision, disqualified him for one year and one day and ordered him to pay $2008.94 reparation.
