An Oamaru man has been described by police as "a drunken fool behind the wheel putting others' lives at risk" after a police pursuit was called off on Saturday night because of his erratic driving.
The 20-year-old man, who allegedly had a breath-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit, was pursued at speeds up to 80kmh in the 50kmh zone around Nen, Exe, Humber and Torridge Sts in Oamaru.
Constable Bruce Dow said police abandoned the chase and the man was later located at a Leith St address.
When tested, he registered a breath-alcohol level of 902mcg.
He was charged with failing to stop for police, reckless driving and driving with an excess breath-alcohol level.
"In other words, this man was drunk behind the wheel of a car driving in a reckless manner and failing to stop for police resulting in a pursuit which had to be called off due to the manner of driving," Const Dow said.
It was another example of a drunk driver putting others at risk, he said.
After police stopped the pursuit, they could still hear the car accelerating and sliding for another five minutes, he said.
Const Dow said there was a "a second example of a fool driving while drunk", when a 41-year-old Mosgiel man was arrested in Oamaru after a complaint from a Waimate woman that she had been assaulted.
He was charged with common assault, assault with a weapon, threatening language, driving while disqualified and driving with an excess breath-alcohol level of 917mcg.
Oamaru police were notified by Waimate police the man was returning south and he was stopped in Oamaru.
