Drunk driver in double-fatal Christchurch crash more than four times over blood alcohol limit

Michael Burnby died when Aliielua Salaivao, who was driving drunk, failed to give way at a Christchurch intersection in 2015. Photo/ file

A drunk driver who killed himself and another man while speeding the wrong way down a Christchurch street was more than four times over the limit, the coroner has found.

Aliielua Salaivao and Michael Burnby died in October 2015 when the van Salaivao was driving collided with Burnby's Audi at the intersection of Salisbury St and Durham St North.

A post-mortem blood toxicology showed Salaivao's blood alcohol count was 205 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood.

Salaivao had recently moved to Christchurch from his home town Auckland to start a job as a team leader for a labouring recruitment company when he died.

On the night of the crash, Saturday October 3, the 40-year-old had been drinking at a work party before getting into a fist fight with a co-worker and leaving some time after 10pm.

After initially returning to the party to apologise to the co-worker, Salaivao again got behind the wheel of his work-issued van and sped off through central Christchurch, going the wrong way down a one-way street at speeds of up to 84km/h in the 50km/h zone.

He had been given permission to use the work van to take his workmates to the party by his boss but had not been given permission to drive it while drunk, coroner Tim Scott noted in his findings.

"It is clear this crash occurred because [Salaivao] drove while angry and intoxicated," Scott said.

The decision Salaivao made when he got behind the wheel greatly let down his family, who loved Salaivao very much and saw him as the family peace maker, Scott said.

Also on the road that night were Michael Burnby and his husband, Tony Tucker.

The pair were heading to a bar co-owned by Tucker to begin work, with Burnby driving.

The 42-year-old was a landscaper by trade, but would occasionally help his husband out at the bar.

The coroner's finding concluded Salaivao sped through an intersection where he should have given way to Burnby, and the two vehicles collided with such force that both were extensively damaged.

The crash happened about 11pm and Salaivao, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene.

Though he survived the crash, Burnby's outlook for survival was never good, Scott said.

He died on October 7 2015, four days after the crash after his family made the decision to turn off his life support.

Burnby was described after his death as a "beautiful man" by family and friends, who told Fairfax he would drop anything to help out a friend of family member in need.

In a statement, Burnby's family said he and Tucker were soul mates.

Scott said Burnby, who had been described as a minimal drinker, was in no way to blame for the crash and there was nothing to suggest he was impaired in any way when it happened.

The coroner said it was "most unfortunate" that Salaivao's friends did not take his keys off him, by force if necessary, to prevent him from driving.

"It should have been suggested to him that he spend at least the night at the... house before returning [home]. Unfortunately, that did not happen."