thinking pilot
28th Sep 2004, 01:06
He drank. Drove. Crashed. Ran off. But no charge
By EDITH BEVIN
28sep04
It is unlikely a wealthy Territory businessman will face criminal charges after crashing his mini-van and leaving the scene.
Airline owner Stefan Wood waited for 3 hours before contacting police.
Police said he would not face drink-driving charges. Nor is he likely to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
They said blood alcohol readings must be taken within two hours.
Mr Wood, 31, a director of Northern Air Charter, was driving the mini-van when it overturned on Tiger Brennan Drive about 7pm last Friday.
He left the scene and went to a friend's house at Stuart Park.
Mr Wood, of Bayview, telephoned police about 10.30pm.
Superintendent Ian Lea said police had no power to breath test him.
``Legislation states that police cannot take a breath test more than two hours after an accident,'' he said.
``Despite the efforts of police at the scene and other officers, the driver was not spoken to until more than three hours after the accident.''
Police sources told the Northern Territory News that when officers arrived at the home of Mr Wood's friends the businessman had ``made a show'' of drinking straight scotch in front of them.
``If there was a way of avoiding being charged with drink-driving that would be it,'' the source said.
``How can police prove what was in his system at the time of the crash and what he drank later?''
Mr Wood also refused a police suggestion that he go with them to hospital for blood alcohol testing.
``He knew his rights and he knew the window of opportunity had passed for police,'' an officer said.
Hours before the crash the Northern Territory News photographed Mr Wood drinking at a charity golf game.
Northern Air Charter chief pilot Jeff Robinson, who was also in the mini-van when it crashed, denied his boss was drunk.
``He wasn't over the limit,'' he said.
Mr Robinson said he had dragged Mr Wood out of the wreckage of the mini-van.
He said Mr Wood had left because he had suffered a head injury.
``He had a very savage knock to the head,'' Mr Robinson said.
``The police even said he should get medical assistance.
``I don't want to say any more in case I say the wrong thing.''
Despite his head injury, Mr Wood was not taken to hospital until the next day.
Had he been taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after a motor vehicle accident he would have had a blood sample compulsorily taken from him for alcohol-level testing.
It is understood the investigation is now focused on whether police can get enough evidence to prosecute Mr Wood on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
``There's no point in going ahead with the charges if they're going to get thrown out in court,'' a source said.
``He could argue he suffered a head injury and was confused, although he did seem to know where his friends lived and he had a pretty good idea of his rights and how much time had passed.''
Repeated attempts by the Northern Territory News to get a response from Mr Wood were ignored last night.
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By EDITH BEVIN
28sep04
It is unlikely a wealthy Territory businessman will face criminal charges after crashing his mini-van and leaving the scene.
Airline owner Stefan Wood waited for 3 hours before contacting police.
Police said he would not face drink-driving charges. Nor is he likely to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
They said blood alcohol readings must be taken within two hours.
Mr Wood, 31, a director of Northern Air Charter, was driving the mini-van when it overturned on Tiger Brennan Drive about 7pm last Friday.
He left the scene and went to a friend's house at Stuart Park.
Mr Wood, of Bayview, telephoned police about 10.30pm.
Superintendent Ian Lea said police had no power to breath test him.
``Legislation states that police cannot take a breath test more than two hours after an accident,'' he said.
``Despite the efforts of police at the scene and other officers, the driver was not spoken to until more than three hours after the accident.''
Police sources told the Northern Territory News that when officers arrived at the home of Mr Wood's friends the businessman had ``made a show'' of drinking straight scotch in front of them.
``If there was a way of avoiding being charged with drink-driving that would be it,'' the source said.
``How can police prove what was in his system at the time of the crash and what he drank later?''
Mr Wood also refused a police suggestion that he go with them to hospital for blood alcohol testing.
``He knew his rights and he knew the window of opportunity had passed for police,'' an officer said.
Hours before the crash the Northern Territory News photographed Mr Wood drinking at a charity golf game.
Northern Air Charter chief pilot Jeff Robinson, who was also in the mini-van when it crashed, denied his boss was drunk.
``He wasn't over the limit,'' he said.
Mr Robinson said he had dragged Mr Wood out of the wreckage of the mini-van.
He said Mr Wood had left because he had suffered a head injury.
``He had a very savage knock to the head,'' Mr Robinson said.
``The police even said he should get medical assistance.
``I don't want to say any more in case I say the wrong thing.''
Despite his head injury, Mr Wood was not taken to hospital until the next day.
Had he been taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after a motor vehicle accident he would have had a blood sample compulsorily taken from him for alcohol-level testing.
It is understood the investigation is now focused on whether police can get enough evidence to prosecute Mr Wood on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
``There's no point in going ahead with the charges if they're going to get thrown out in court,'' a source said.
``He could argue he suffered a head injury and was confused, although he did seem to know where his friends lived and he had a pretty good idea of his rights and how much time had passed.''
Repeated attempts by the Northern Territory News to get a response from Mr Wood were ignored last night.
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