Bond-style gadget hid plate from police eyes

23rd February 2006

By Bay Times court reporter

A Tauranga man who used a James Bond-style gadget to tilt his motorcycle numberplate to foil police and speed cameras was left shaken but not stirred after crashing into a patrol car.

Garry Leonard Muzyka, 46, from Cambridge Heights, had a hand lever next to the fuel tank enabling him to tilt the number plate so it was horizontal and could not be read by following traffic.

But, after a high-speed pursuit, Muzyka was unable to escape nearly $1700 in court imposed fines.

The self-employed man was yesterday convicted and fined $1640 after he pleaded guilty to one charge each of exceeding the 100kmh speed limit, failing to stop for police and dangerous driving.

No charge was laid in relation to the numberplate gadget.

Community magistrate Robyn Paterson also disqualified Muzyka from driving for six months. The court was told that at 1.35pm on August 31, Muzyka was caught on police radar travelling at 154km on his motorcycle in a 100kmh area on State Highway 5, some 10km south of Rotorua.

Pursued by police, he continued to accelerate through to the city, on one occasion crossing the centre line, where he maintained high speeds.

He eventually came to a stop after he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into the side of a police car.

Defence lawyer Bill Nabney said that while his client admitted travelling at high speeds, he denied having lost control of his vehicle.

"He was about to stop and was rammed by a police car."

Mrs Paterson said: "It was a horrendous speed to be driving."

... you are fortunate no one was injured."