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Man imprisoned after going 180km/h in 50km/h zone

Author
Samantha Olley, Rotorua Daily Post,
Publish Date
Sat, 1 Sep 2018, 1:16PM
When police tried to stop Bruce Mihaka he did a u-turn and reached speeds of 180km/h in a 50km/h zone through Fordlands and Pukehangi. (Photo: Stock xchng)
When police tried to stop Bruce Mihaka he did a u-turn and reached speeds of 180km/h in a 50km/h zone through Fordlands and Pukehangi. (Photo: Stock xchng)

Man imprisoned after going 180km/h in 50km/h zone

Author
Samantha Olley, Rotorua Daily Post,
Publish Date
Sat, 1 Sep 2018, 1:16PM

A Rotorua man who drove at 180km/h in a 50km/h zone while on bail will spend 18 months in jail.

The Rotorua District Court has just released sentencing notes for 34-year-old Bruce Junior Ewok Mihaka.

Judge Greg Hollister-Jones said he showed "a complete disregard for our driving laws".

Mihaka had a history of three dangerous and reckless driving convictions, five for disqualified driving, one for unlawfully getting into a vehicle and five for drugs before his 2018 offences.

Mihaka's latest charges from incidents in January, April and May this year included threatening conduct, receiving a $5000 motorcycle, dangerous driving, disqualified driving, possession of methamphetamine and a methamphetamine pipe and two counts of aggravated failing to stop.

On January 17 he told a woman: "I am going to waste you and smash you and kick your car in."

On January 30 Mihaka was riding a $5000 stolen motorcycle on Wrigley Rd, Fordlands, while disqualified, without a helmet.

He accelerated away from police on Sunset Rd, then drove over the median strip at 105km/h overtaking vehicles in a 50km/h zone, while other vehicles drove the opposite way.

Mihaka passed a primary school with students on the footpath, then drove at 100km/h up a short cul-de-sac, over a kerb toward a reserve where he lost control.

He was arrested with 0.5g of methamphetamine and $1340 cash in his jacket pocket.

On April 25 he was driving and was stopped at a routine traffic stop when police found a methamphetamine pipe, empty point bags, and a straw in his vehicle.

On May 8, Mihaka was driving a Holden vehicle on Konene St, Utuhina, and weaving across the road.

When police tried to stop him he did a u-turn and reached speeds of 180km/h in a 50km/h zone through Fordlands and Pukehangi.

His car's tyres were eventually spiked.

At Mihaka's sentencing on August 7, Judge Hollister-Jones said he showed "no clear remorse" in the pre-sentence report.

"I have got to send you the strongest possible message about this and home detention is not adequate ... You just cannot keep on offending in this way and endangering members of the Rotorua public."

"At the heart of your issues is methamphetamine," Hollister-Jones said.

Mihaka was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and a total disqualification from driving for three years.

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