Police District Breath Tests Drink Drivers Prosecuted Blood Tests
Northland 2133 26 5
Waitemata 4437 36 4
Auckland 5503 19 6
Counties-Manukau 1280 24 2
Waikato 6237 63 9
Bay of Plenty 2986 33 3
Eastern 2093 15 2
Central 5865 15 3
Wellington 7562 30 6
Tasman (to be advised 12 (to be advised)
Canterbury 2748 23 1
Southern 1651 7 0
Total 42495 304 40
Reports from Police Districts
Canterbury
Highest Canterbury level was found in North Canterbury when a recidivist offender with 9 previous convictions recorded a reading of 847mg (more than twice the legal limit).
In Christchurch a person aged under 20 years failed to stop for Police on a moped and attempted to escape by riding through a cemetery. He was processed for drunk driving. The irony of driving drunk through a cemetery did not escape the notice of Police staff.
Wellington
1. During a busy checkpoint three adult males walked passed each carrying a beer tankard. They commented favorably that they aware of the Operation and they were doing the "right thing" by walking to the pub. They were captured on film by the One News camera man at the checkpoint.
2. A male was arrested after a short pursuit from a checkpoint and charged with failing to Stop, Dangerous Driving and drunk driving. He recorded 846mg.
3. Kapiti Mana Road checkpoint arrested an offender in a stolen vehicle during the Operation.
4. Wellington Area had the highest number of drink drivers apprehended. Interestingly the highest reading was only 533 with many breath readings in the 400 range.
Waikato
1: At 0335 a 14 year old boy driving from Te Kuiti to Hamilton recorded 695mg.
2: A Holden Commodore 5.7 litre V8 did a U turn at a checkpoint at Matatoki SH26 near Thames and the driver attempted to evade Police by driving at high speed. He was not pursued by Police from the checkpoint but was subsequently located by Police some 10 minutes later after he had crashed into a paddock. A 31 year old Male driver was seriously injured in the crash. A blood sample was taken.
3: A vehicle approaching a checkpoint in Hamilton City drove through the roundabout instead of around it - drawing Police attention to himself. The male driver subsequently recorded 1158mg. Police allege the driver was unable to properly stand due to his high level of intoxication.
4: Short pursuit in Hamilton City with an absconder from a checkpoint, resulted in his inability to miss a centre traffic islands and damaged his car. He was apprehended and charged with multiple offences.
Southern
Police allege a heavily intoxicated male driver (882mg) was apprehended traveling with his intoxicated wife on SH1. Three children thought to be under 5 were with them. He had been offered a ride but ignored it.
A speeding driver attempted to elude Police by turning off his lights in a rural area. When stopped he recorded a breath alcohol level of 856mg. He had 5 previous drink drive convictions.
A pursuit in Dunedin resulted in a an offender being charged with drunk driving after he was apprehended after failing to take a bend trying to drive onto the Southern Motorway.
Police found a burnt out crashed car on SH 90 near Tapanui this morning. The two occupants were both dead when the vehicle was found. It appears to have crashed and caught fire.
Eastern
10 vehicles seized overnight by the Department of Courts staff in Napier as part of pre planned Illegal Street Racing Operation.
Napier staff dealt with a crash where an SUV carrying 7 persons (including 5 children) had collided with a roundabout, puncturing the front tyre. The driver continued on driving and crashed the car approx 1 kilometer later into shrubs. He left the scene and was caught, he recorded 1120mg.
Auckland
A 27 year old female was seen driving along Tamaki Drive and wobbling all over the road and was followed by a member of the public. She was driving so badly that a member of the public took it upon himself to stop her. She did stop without incident and by the time Police arrived she was slumped over her steering wheel fast asleep.
She subsequently recorded 1943mg. The members of the public clearly potentially saved a life through their actions. (Senior Sergeant Peter Kaveney - Auckland for further comment).
Contact: Superintendent Dave Cliff
National Manager Road Policing
027 249 0325
Police after hours media pager: 026 101082