Police were forced to abandon a pursuit of a fleeing driver who failed to stop but while officers searched for the driver they nabbed two drunk-drivers.
Whangarei police Sergeant Craig Burrows said police attempted to stop a car during a routine check on Station Rd in Kamo, about 12.15am yesterday. The driver failed to stop and took off through surrounding streets before heading north on State Highway 1.
The pursuit was abandoned near the Fonterra factory at Kauri and the last reported sighting of the fleeing blue-coloured Mitsubishi mirage was on King St in Hikurangi. The registration number is YS7205.
While in Hikurangi officers stopped a 33-year-old Opuawhanga man on Valley Rd. He was taken to Whangarei police station where he recorded a breath alcohol level of 691 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
Half an hour later they stopped another male driver outside the Hikurangi police station and his alcohol breath level was 1014mcg.