A 34-year-old woman who collided with a fellow motorcyclist while trying to overtake a car was more than five times the legal alcohol limit.

Eseta Bua returned a blood alcohol level of 258.3 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood after being examined at Rarotonga Hospital in the wake of the crash in Avarua on October 15, Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Fairoa Tararo said.

Bua pleaded guilty to careless driving and driving with excess blood alcohol, the limit being 50mg, when she appeared before Justice of the Peace Vania Kenning in the Criminal Court in Rarotonga on Thursday.

She was convicted, disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined $550, and ordered to pay $150 in reparation to Police for the blood test and $100 in court costs.

Tararo said when Police questioned Bua about the crash on November 16 – 32 days after it occurred – she made a statement saying she drank kava and alcohol on the morning of the incident.

“She wasn’t sure how many (bottles of alcohol she drank).”

Tararo said Bua began driving in Arorangi. When she reached the sea wall in Avarua, she came up behind a car and decided to overtake as the two vehicles were passing a restaurant.

“She did not see another bike driving in the opposite direction,” Tararo said.

“She tried to avoid the oncoming bike, and instead tipped her bike and lost control.”