Former partner receives home detention for drunk crash that killed Aaron Ferguson

Jordan Barlow was sentenced to nine months' home detention and 200 hours of community work after a drunk‑driving crash killed Aaron Ferguson. The 33‑year‑old pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death in the Gore District Court on July 26. Barlow had been driving Ferguson's Toyota Hilux from a 40th‑birthday party near Waikaka when she lost control on the gravel Winding Creek Road at about 12:15 am on March 22. She had consumed six premade alcoholic drinks over eight hours and a blood test at 5 am showed a level of 63 mcg of alcohol per 100 ml, above the legal limit of 50 mcg; investigators estimated her level at the time of the crash to be at least 110 mcg. The vehicle’s warrant of fitness had expired in June 2021 and the ute suffered mechanical faults, mismatched tyres, worn steering parts and a rusted roof. As Barlow over‑corrected, the Hilux rolled, the rusted roof detached and both occupants were ejected. Ferguson, 39, died at the scene; Barlow survived with significant injuries and was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital. In court, Louise Ferguson, Aaron’s mother, placed flowers on her son’s grave and recalled waiting for him to return from the party. His sister Rebecca asked why Uncle Aaron had to die. Judge Noel Walsh accepted Barlow’s remorse as genuine, noting the family’s grief and the loss of a beloved eldest son destined to run the farm. ## Context The case highlights New Zealand’s strict penalties for driving under the influence and the added risk posed by vehicles with expired fitness certificates and structural defects, which can exacerbate crash severity.