Waimate man Jonathon Mark Ross, 22, recently admitted guilt to a number of charges in the Timaru District Court, after a drunken rampage where he stole a truck and a tractor and then challenged police officers to a fight.
He pled guilty to two counts of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, unlawful interference with a motor vehicle, two charges of drink-driving, careless driving, two charges of driving while disqualified, resisting arrest and breach of bail.
Ross was remanded in custody until April by Judge Joanna Maze for sentencing.
According to police in December last year, Ross was drinking with an associate in Waimate. He went to a nearby transport yard and started a truck worth more than $140,000 and drove off. He then crashed into a culvert east of Waimate.
Police say he continued driving the damaged vehicle to another farm, where he ditched it. Then he went to another nearby property and attempted to start another truck but was unable to.
According to Police, Ross found and started up a tractor instead and drove off but as he was driving south the tractor engine seized and he was forced to abandon it.
When Police arrived he admitted taking the two vehicles and was breath-tested. He blew 525 micrograms per litre of breath and was a disqualified driver at the time. He told police the offending would not have happened if he had not been drinking.
The next Thursday police went to his Waimate address to carry out a bail check.
One of his conditions was not to consume alcohol. However, Police say that Ross appeared to be intoxicated and was using the doorframe for support.
He was arrested and taken to the police station and demanded police remove his handcuffs so he could fight them. He then unsuccessfully tried to head-butt one of the arresting officers.
