A Dunedin woman allegedly tried to slide her way out of getting breath-tested after drinking 10 bourbons at the weekend.
It was one of a string of drink-driving incidents police dealt with in recent days.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said a checkpoint on High St early on Sunday caught three drink-drivers, including one 30-year-old woman who recorded a breath alcohol reading of 858mcgs.
Upon approaching the checkpoint she stopped and tried to slide into the passenger sheet while the passenger exited the car and tried to distract police, he said.
The officers were not fooled and gave the driver a licence suspension for 28 days along with a court summons, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Police said the woman had drunk 10 bourbons.
A little later, about 3.30am, a 23-year-old man allegedly ran a red light on George St near the Octagon and collided with a vehicle driven by a 32-year-old man.
Police attended and discovered both men had been drinking.
The younger man recorded a breath alcohol reading of 595mcgs, while the 32-year-old recorded 384mcgs, Snr Sgt Bond said. Both received a court summons.
Early on Saturday, a 19-year-old driver was stopped on Macandrew Bay Rd due to the way he was driving, Snr Sgt Bond said.
He recorded a breath alcohol reading of 393mcgs and received a summons to court, as there was a zero alcohol limit for drivers under 20.
A 32-year-old man was stopped at a checkpoint about 12.40am Saturday at a checkpoint in Gowland St.
He recorded a breath alcohol reading of 701mcgs and was given a licence suspension and a summons to court.
The man said he was sober driving a mate, had come from Dunedin from Balclutha and was on his way back, having drunk heavily the night before until 4am, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Another 19-year-old man was caught about 1.20am, allegedly driving an unsafe car without lights while intoxicated on Moreau St.
The man recorded a breath alcohol reading of 400mcgs and his car was pink stickered, Snr Sgt Bond said.
He also received a summons to court.
The driver told police he knew the car’s lights did not work but he decided to drive a friend home from a party at his place, a distance of about 500m.
About 12.55am on Sunday, a 16-year-old was nabbed in Cumberland St after driving too slowly .
Not only did he record a breath alcohol reading of 513mcgs, but he was in breach of the conditions of his learner’s licence by carrying three passengers, Snr Sgt Bond said.
The matter has been referred to Youth Aid.
That evening, at a checkpoint on Brighton Rd, police nabbed a 65-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman who recorded breath alcohol readings of 587mcgs and 400mcgs respectively.
Both drivers told police that they were on the road due to family gatherings.
Snr Sgt Bond said it was disappointing that people continued to drink and drive as it put everyone else at risk.
When drinking, people should seek alternative ways to get home and avoid driving.
Police would continue to breath test all drivers stopped to ensure the roads were safe, he said.
