Northland news in brief: Man arrested, accused of alcohol-related driving charge

A man was arrested by Northland police thanks to the eagle eyes of a member of the public.

A man who was allegedly driving with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit has been arrested by Northland police thanks to the eagle eyes of a member of the public. Police arrested the man about 8pm on Thursday. A police car driving along Onerahi Rd was flagged down by a member of the public. The person told police they had seen a man in a nearby takeaway shop they believed was intoxicated, said Whangārei-Kaipara area commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom.

“The person was able to provide officers with a detailed description of the male and his vehicle.

“[Police] units have subsequently located the man driving and pulled him over, where he was allegedly more than three times the legal alcohol limit.”

Nordstrom said the man allegedly admitted to drinking more than a dozen beers and blew a reading of 805 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The limit is 250.

“We thank those who are alerting us to this behaviour. Vigilant reporting is often the key to police being able to respond in a timely manner and hold people to account for their actions,” she said.

A 57-year-old man was arrested and charged with driving with excess breath alcohol and driving contrary to terms of a zero-alcohol licence.

He has been remanded in custody, and is to next appear in Whangārei District Court on October 27.

Breast cancer awareness walk

Walk the loop in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this Sunday, October 20 from 10am at the Whangārei Town Basin. The event is to celebrate survivors, remember those lost and raise awareness and funds. Walk with your family, friends and dogs in your brightest pink costumes. Spot prizes will be up for grabs as well as some for best-dressed. Tickets are available to purchase on the day from the table on the canopy bridge for $5 each or $20 for a family.

Artisans’ Market returning

The Whangārei-famous Artisans’ Market returns on Saturday, October 26 from 9am until 1.30. The staple summer event will be set up at the Canopy Bridge ready to offer creations from talented artisans, delicious bites from local bakers and more. It’s a great place to check out local talent and grab an early Christmas present.

Recycling kids’ items

The Relove Recycle kids’ market is on this Saturday from 9.30am until 12.30pm with plenty of up-cycled items ready to be loved again. You will find an array of clothing, toys, books and parenting equipment at the Whangārei Masonic Centre on 15 Albert St. The event is cash only and if you wish to re-clutter you can book a table by emailing rrkidsmarket@gmail.com.

Injuries after vehicle goes down bank

Two people were injured after a vehicle they were in crashed down a bank at Kohukohu, beside Northland’s Hokianga Harbour, on Saturday afternoon. Police and three crews from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) attended the incident, which was reported at about 1.50pm. A Fenz spokesperson said staff did not need to extract anyone from the vehicle but were at the scene for about two and a half hours. Police said there were only two occupants in the vehicle – one was seriously injured, the other moderately so. No further details were available.