Drunk driver crashes into dairy

A Gisborne man has been charged with careless driving and driving with an excess breath alcohol level, allegedly two-and-a-half times the legal limit, after crashing into the front of a dairy last night.

It is the second time shop owners Tony and Christine Cleaver have had a vehicle smash into their shop at the T intersection of Endcliffe and Wainui roads.

In 2003, a driver returning from an all-night pig hunt fell asleep and crashed into the shop front, wiping out two shop veranda posts and a streetlight.

In the latest incident, the 38-year-old driver was arrested and charged after blowing an evidential breath-alcohol level of 1090 micrograms. The legal limit is 400mcg.

Gisborne police acting Senior Sergeant Dave Walker said police were informed a person was "driving erratically".

The vehicle was found by police but did not stop, he said.

An eye witness said the vehicle drove about 100m along the footpath before smashing into the corner of Kaiti Dairy at about 10.30pm.

Mr and Mrs Cleaver were counting "small mercies" they were not hurt and that they had taken their one-year-old grandchild home yesterday.

"Not again. We did not need this to happen again. What else can go wrong?

"The damage is worse than when the big earthquake hit us," said Mrs Cleaver, who was crying as the vehicle was towed from the building, causing the roof rafters and surrounding structure to collapse even more.

Mrs Cleaver's father, Mervyn Bradley, died on New Year's Day.

"I had just cried myself to sleep because I miss my Dad and then I was jolted awake by this God-almighty noise."

Mr Cleaver said the shop may be closed for the week to clear debris and repair the damage. He estimated the business would lose more than $1000 a day.

"It is the last thing we needed to happen. We are struggling to keep the business afloat as it is.

"We hope to be open as soon as possible but this will depend on how fast we can get things cleared away and on our insurance also."

Emergency services attended the incident.

The driver, who suffered minor injuries, will appear in Gisborne District Court on January 29.

- NZPA