Dunedin driver drank ‘a litre of vodka’ a day

Police attempted to carry out a breath test but the defendant refused, opting for a blood test. “I’ve never seen a reading this high," the community magistrate said. Photo / NZME

A Dunedin driver who confessed to drinking a litre of vodka a day had her keys confiscated by a worried member of the public, a court has heard.

Josie Alice Tweed, 42, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after a blood test revealed a blood-alcohol level of 417mg, almost nine times the legal limit.

At 7pm on November 23, Tweed was driving in Queens Dr when she was seen veering into the oncoming lane for about seven seconds.

A member of the public who was driving behind her saw the car veering into the opposite lane for a further 15 seconds, narrowly missing several parked vehicles.

The erratic behaviour continued, with the woman briefly driving into oncoming traffic before coming to a complete stop on the correct side of the road.

A witness stopped to offer assistance and after talking briefly to Tweed they pulled the keys from the ignition and called police.

Arriving to find the woman still in the driver’s seat, police attempted to carry out breath-test procedures but the defendant refused, opting for a blood test.

“I’ve never seen a reading this high.

“And I’ve been doing this job for quite some time,” community magistrate Jan Holmes said.

“It is very lucky you didn’t hurt somebody.”

Since the incident Tweed had been addressing her issues with drinking, after admitting to police she drank a litre of vodka a day, counsel Deborah Henderson said.

Tweed was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision and 100 hours’ community work after being convicted of dangerous driving and drink driving.

She was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for 11 months, after which she would face zero-alcohol-licence provisions.

Tweed was also required to pay court costs of $130 and blood-analysis fees of $293.