He saw the police checkpoint and fled.
Shortly afterwards he crashed into a Hamilton car yard where rows of vehicles were parked, damaging five of them. But when breath-tested by police, he was under the legal breath alcohol limit of 250mcg.
Waikato Senior Sergeant Phil Ruddell said although the man was under, he will still appear in the Hamilton District Court today on a raft of charges.
Ruddell said police had a drink-drive checkpoint on Greenwood St about 10.45pm when the 34-year-old driver approached.