A driver was found unconscious and a passenger bleeding from the face on the edge of an estuary after their car crashed into a power pole near Dunedin.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said a patrolling police car found a knocked-down power pole and smoke coming from nearby bushes on Brighton Road at 2.45am on Sunday.
The vehicle was found on the edge of the estuary with the driver unconscious and the passenger bleeding from their face.
Police helped the duo from the car with assistance from passing drivers, and they were transported to Dunedin Hospital by Hato Hone St John Ambulance.
Blood alcohol samples were taken from the driver and the incident was being investigated, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Drink-driving
Police were kept busy with several drink drivers around Dunedin at the weekend.
A vehicle was stopped after swerving on a southbound lane of the Southern Motorway.
The vehicle was travelling at 80kmh and accelerating up to 130kmh at 12.30am on Sunday.
After being stopped on Saddle Hill, a 39-year-old woman, recorded a breath alcohol level of 548mcg.
She has been summoned to appear in the Dunedin District Court on drink driving charges.
Another vehicle was stopped in Water St for driving with no headlights on at 2.30am on Sunday.
The driver was a 22-year-old French national who recorded a breath alcohol level of 400mcg.
He was issued an infringement notice.
On Sunday morning, two women aged 19 and 21 were stopped at separate police checkpoints and issued infringement notices for recording breath alcohol levels of 119mcg and 338mcg respectively.
They had both been drinking the night before.
