Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were called to Elgin Rd, Mornington, at 1.30am on Saturday after a 23-year-old man crashed his car into another vehicle, shunting it onto the footpath.
Before the crash, the 23-year-old was driving down the neighbouring Mailer St without his headlights on.
As a result, the oncoming vehicle flashed their car’s headlights at him to let him know he needed to turn them on.
This allegedly sent the 23-year-old into a rage, and he turned his car around and started to follow close behind the other car at speed.
The man lost control after turning down Elgin Rd due to the speed he was travelling at, crashed into the front right corner of an oncoming car and shunted it on to the footpath 1m away.
He fled the scene by driving down nearby Havelock St, before parking his vehicle on Durham St and fleeing on foot.
Police dogs were called to track the man, who was located nearby and arrested, Snr Sgt Bond said.
While the man was being placed under arrest, he resisted and spat on officers.
They got him back to the station, and while being processed, he smashed and broke an officer’s mobile phone.
He then underwent breath testing procedures and recorded a breath alcohol level of 656mcg — more than double the legal limit of 250mcg.
The man would appear in Dunedin District Court tomorrow charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to stop to ascertain injury, dangerous driving, willful damage, assaulting police, and resisting police.
