A Kurow man is lucky not to be facing more serious consequences after he drove straight through the Special School Rd intersection with State Highway 83 and crashed on Friday night, police say.
The driver recorded a breath-alcohol level of 446mcg after crashing about 6.40pm.
''He went straight through the intersection and through a fence, along the side of a house before bellying out on the septic tank,'' Constable Craig Bennett, of Kurow, said.
In the wake of the fatal crash on Hakataramea Valley Rd on May 10, Friday's incident ''defies belief'', Const Bennett said.
''Has our wee community not suffered enough lately,'' he asked.
''Just imagine the result of your family car passing that intersection ... as he crossed.''
Const Bennett urged everyone to ''stop and think'' before getting behind the wheel.
''Think about your family's loss and the community's loss if you make that dumb choice to [drink and] drive and you crash,'' he said.
''If you have, or intend to have, more than one standard drink, then organise a safe way home.''
Const Bennett said alcohol affected everyone differently and ''regardless of the level of alcohol in your system, your reactions are affected as soon as any alcohol enters the equation''.
A lot of people did not realise that their breath-alcohol level would continue to rise after they stopped drinking, Const Bennett said.
''Even if you feel fine, you are still processing that alcohol and that will affect your driving and reactions.''
Two other people were charged with drink-driving in North Otago at the weekend.
On Saturday, a 44-year-old Hampden man recorded a breath-alcohol level of 796mcg.
A 22-year-old Oamaru man was processed for drink-driving after he recorded a level of 549mcg on Sunday.
They will appear in the Oamaru District Court next month.
