A Green Island man who was pepper-sprayed and charged with assaulting a police officer after being apprehended for drink-driving was one of five charged with drink-driving at the weekend.
The arrests prompted Dunedin police to warn they will not tolerate drinking and driving.
Senior Sergeant Ed Baker said Dunedin police received several complaints about the man's driving on Sunday night, and he was located about 9.40pm at his Green Island home.
Snr Sgt Baker said the man, believed to be in his 50s, allegedly became threatening and assaulted a police officer when confronted with allegations he had been drinking and driving, and was subdued with pepper spray.
He recorded a breath-alcohol level of 750mcg and would appear in the Dunedin District Court later this week.
The legal breath-alcohol limit is 400mcg per litre of breath.
The man was one of five drivers around Otago charged with drink-driving in the space of about 24 hours at the weekend.
Another man was charged after being stopped in Balmacewen Rd at 5.30pm on Sunday. He recorded a breath-alcohol level of 1162mcg, Snr Sgt Baker said.
An 18-year-old woman was charged after backing out of her driveway in Sandringham Rd about 1.15am yesterday and hitting a post on the other side of the road. She recorded a breath-alcohol level of 694mcg and would appear in the Oamaru District Court, he said.
A 45-year-old woman was charged after recording a breath-alcohol level of 470mcg when stopped in Boundary Rd, Alexandra, at 12.45am on Sunday.
She had two previous drink-driving convictions.
A 23-year-old Alexandra man was charged after being stopped in Centennial Ave, in Alexandra, about 11.30pm on Saturday. He recorded 561mcg.
Snr Sgt Baker said the charges came on the back of a busy Saturday night in which three people were charged with disorder offences relating to alcohol intoxication between midnight on Saturday and 4am on Sunday.
He said it was concerning drink-drivers were being apprehended at different times of the day.
''I think, during this time of the year, we [police] become more visible and we apprehend more people. There will be a greater presence of police from now until after the new year.
''The simple rule is, don't drink and drive.''
