By Rob Kidd of 
Wharekawa Facebook livestreamed his wild drive around Otago. Photo: Supplied / ODT
A Balclutha man who led police on a chaotic 230km chase up and down State Highway 1 has been jailed for 22 months.
Gene-Kelly Antonio Wharekawa, 31, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this afternoon on a slew of charges and Judge Dominic Flatley highlighted a growing criminal history.
"Some of your offending was absolutely appalling," he said.
"You might end up killing somebody."
The court heard the defendant was on electronically monitored bail in Balclutha on 22 August before the mayhem unfolded.
In breach of his bail conditions, Wharekawa got into a car with his friend - and her 2-year-old son in the back seat - and the prolonged fiasco began.
There was nothing secretive about the impromptu road trip.
A woman runs for her life as the driver runs a red light and bears down on her in South Dunedin. Photo: Supplied / ODT
Wharekawa broadcast the journey on a Facebook livestream, the camera showing the view through his front windscreen.
The footage quickly attracted comments from friends and family, some voicing concern, others goading him, and police were ultimately able to track the silver Subaru.
At 2.35pm, Wharekawa stopped at a service station in Andersons Bay Rd, put $153 of fuel into the car and left without paying.
"A large box of beer was visible in the vehicle," a police summary said.
As the day wore on, the ride became progressively wilder.
Three hours after the petrol theft, Wharekawa was clocked by police travelling at 165kmh in State Highway 1 at Seacliff.
Officers executed a u-turn and gave chase, but that was soon abandoned when the defendant swerved into the wrong lane.
Wharekawa was next seen at 6.46pm in Oamaru.
Police boxed in the vehicle with three cars but it was not enough to thwart the joyride.
The defendant reversed into one of the units "causing extensive damage to the front grill" before speeding off.
After reaching speeds of 130kmh, officers called off the pursuit again.
Wharekawa ramming a police car in a still from the livestream he recorded during his wild drive around Otago. Photo: Supplied / ODT
They next caught up with Wharekawa 115km away in Dunedin, when he pulled over to urinate, but the tactic of blocking him in was again unsuccessful.
The court heard the defendant rammed another patrol car and continued south on the motorway.
Five minutes later he collided with a Suzuki Swift and could be heard on the livestream saying "I just hit a car".
Wharekawa repeatedly crossed the centre line with his headlights turned off and told his passenger: "if I go faster than 180 the cops won't stop me".
Finally, at 8.30pm - six hours after the petrol theft - police deployed road spikes near Waihola, bringing the drama to an abrupt halt.
"F... they got us," the defendant said.
Wharekawa was arrested and refused to provide a blood specimen.
A member of the public later found his electronic-bail tracker in Oamaru.
Counsel Andrew Dawson said his client wanted to use today's sentencing as "a line in the sand".
"If he continues to come back, there's only going to be one sentence that's imposed," he said.
A psychological report suggested Wharekawa suffered from drug-induced psychosis.
"Until you get those issues sorted out . . . you're going to put innocent members of the public at risk," the judge said.
Wharekawa was banned from driving for 18 months and granted leave to apply to have his prison term converted to home detention.
That would only be allowed, Judge Flatley said, if the defendant was going to a residential rehabilitation facility.
* This story was first published by the Otago Daily Times.
