New Zealand woman 'sleep drove' 200 miles while unconscious after taking sleeping pills
- - Unnamed woman travelled from Hamilton to Auckland and then east coast
- - Police officers admitted they were astonished that she did not have accident
- - Woman found fast asleep in driveway of former home near Tauranga
- - She had been on the road for five hours and travelled 186 miles
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A woman who was unconscious after taking sleeping pills managed to 'sleep drive' nearly 200 miles around New Zealand.
The unnamed woman drove during the night from Hamilton, then travelled north to Auckland before continuing on to the east coast.
She was eventually found slumped over the steering wheel in the driveway of her former home near Tauranga at 4.55am.
She had been on the road for five hours and had travelled 186 miles.
Bizarre: A woman who was unconscious after taking sleeping pills managed to 'sleep drive' nearly 200 miles around New Zealand. This is a file picture of Auckland, where she travelled to at one point
Police officers admitted they were astonished that she was able to drive without being involved in an accident.
A friend of the unnamed woman called police shortly after midnight to warn them that she had taken sleeping pills and had driven away from her Hamilton home.
The friend was alarmed because the woman had previously driven off while asleep 10 months ago and had ended up in her previous home on the east coast with no recollection of the night's events.
Senior Sergeant Dave Litton of Hamilton Police said that during the woman's sleep drive she had sent text messages, leaving those who had received them in no doubt that she was half asleep.
What they didn't realise was that she was actually at the wheel of her silver Toyota hatchback car at the time.
Police around the north island were alerted to watch out for the car and although her mobile phone was on patrol vehicles were unable to pinpoint the woman's exact location, as she was still driving.
On one occasion police were able to track the car, through the mobile phone, to Otara in the south of Auckland, at around 2am but by the time officers arrived the vehicle had gone.
'While all this was going on, police were scanning any reports of unusual or concerning driving as we attempted to find the Toyota and prevent a potential tragedy,' Sgt Litton told the New Zealand Herald.
The car was eventually found in the driveway of her former home near Tauranga, on the east coast.
'The woman's cousin found her asleep, slumped over the wheel,' said Sgt Litton. When woken, she had absolutely no recollection of the events overnight.
'We have sought an urgent order forbidding her to drive and to seek medical advice on her suitability to remain holding her drivers licence.
'While her being found safe and well is a relief for everyone involved, the potential for tragedy was huge and we're urging people suffering medical conditions to be open and honest with their doctors and seek advice on the medication they are prescribed.'
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