Drink-driver flees moving car, forgets brakes

Photo / NZME

A Dunedin driver found to be five times over the legal limit bailed out of his moving car in The Octagon - but forgot to apply the brakes.

Senior sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said the incident happened in the central city about 2am on Saturday.

The 34 -year-old man was driving around The Octagon when he crashed into a parked car.

The man ran off but his vehicle kept moving, mounting the kerb and colliding with a power pole in Moray Place.

The man was found by officers and, when tested, recorded a reading of 1354mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit for adults 20 years and over is 250mcg.

The reading was ‘’very high,’’ Bond said, and those in the thousands were unfortunately becoming more common.

On Sunday about 1am, a vehicle was seen bunny-hopping and skidding in George St.

When pulled over, officers discovered it was overloaded with six passengers, including two people in the boot.

The 18-year-old driver recorded a breath-alcohol level of 924mcg. He received a 28-day suspension and would appear in court for drink-driving, Bond said.

On Saturday about 11.55pm, police stopped a 26-year-old-man driving in Cumberland St who recorded a breath-alcohol reading of 893mcg. He would also appear in court, Bond said.

Earlier on Saturday, a 42-year-old driver who had consumed a dozen beers the night before recorded a breath-alcohol reading of 305mcg. He was given an infringement notice.

On Friday, an 18-year-old woman recorded 678mcg when stopped at a checkpoint in Butts Rd about 11.25pm.

A total of nine drivers were processed for drink-driving, Bond said.