Driver claims ignorance

A woman claimed she wasn't familiar with the roads she was driving on when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a lagoon in Te Awanga while three times the legal breath alcohol limit.

Angela Louise Henderson appeared in the Hastings District Court yesterday where she pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol and careless driving.

On August 6, she was driving in Te Awanga about 9pm when she lost control of her vehicle at the intersection of Pipi St and Wellwood Tce and crashed into a lagoon by the road. She admitted she had been drinking and a subsequent breath test returned a reading of 1281mcg. The legal limit is 400mcg.

Her explanation at the time was that she wasn't from the area and didn't know the road split.

Judge David Holderness remanded her for sentencing on December 13.