90 minutes - two drink-driving charges

The 35-year-old admitted he shouldn't have been behind the wheel. Photo / Belinda Feek

A Morrinsville man accused of driving drunk twice in one day admits it was a stupid thing to do. He said he drove the second time because he was worried about $5000 worth of tools left on the back of his ute.

An apologetic Anthony Michael Kerr told the Herald outside the Hamilton District Court today that he was driving to the supermarket to get supplies and a can of V after a heavy night drinking beers at home and didn't think about being over the limit.

Sources have told the Herald that members of the public alerted police to Kerr's behaviour, concerned about his intoxication.

The 35-year-old mechanic drew the wrath of Waikato police superintendent Bruce Bird yesterday after he was caught drink-driving on Thames St at 8.30am. He blew 1020mcg, more than four times the legal adult limit of 250mcg. Mr Bird said Kerr was stopped again about 90 minutes later on Lear St and blew 939mcg.

However, after being taken back to the station and processed on the first occasion, Kerr said he was worried about his tools, which were on the back of his work ute. He claims police wouldn't let him ring his partner to pick them up.

"Yeah, I'd had a few the night before and was going to go down and get Vs and bits and pieces. The cop took the key off my ute at the station and, okay, fair enough I didn't want to drive, I just wanted to get my tools home, that's all. It's not like they're locked or anything they're just sitting [on the ute] on the side of the road. That's my livelihood down the tubes."

He admitted he shouldn't have been behind the wheel, despite having his last beer at 1am, and said he would plead guilty to the drink driving charges.

"I was way over. I stopped [drinking] about 1am. Yeah I felt okay but I shouldn't have been driving." Kerr disputes not stopping for police and said by the time he saw the sirens he was only a short distance from his house and pulled into the driveway of his Morrice Ave home.

The incident had now sworn him off drinking, he said.

"What I did was stupid and to anyone who is contemplating drinking and driving, don't, just walk."

Kerr said he spent the night in the cells with another man who was also processed for drink driving twice in one day.

He said the man was an arborist and had been stopped at Waingaro, near Ngaruawahia, but he also went back to his vehicle as he was worried about his tools.

Kerr was remanded without plea on two charges of drink driving, driving while suspended and failing to stop.

He will reappear in the Morrinsville District Court in February.

Waikato police declined to comment further on the case as it was now before the court, but yesterday Mr Bird said drink drivers needed to "grow up".

"Think about your actions, think about the consequences and think about how you can make a difference. Already this year alcohol and/or drugs have been contributing factors in 15 fatal crashes in the Waikato, your decisions can kill."