Driver needed a drink - yeah, right

JOELLE DALLY | 24th March 2010

When panel beater Mark Nicoll took the keys off a suspected drink driver after a crash, the last thing he expected was for the man to have another drink.

But that's exactly what he encountered when a man crashed into three parked cars and a building outside his central city workplace on a recent Thursday afternoon.

The driver, who appeared heavily intoxicated, took a can of Tui out of the boot and proceeded to drink it while waiting for police to arrive on the scene.

The 45-year-old recorded a breath alcohol reading of 1503mcg/L when he was breath tested - a level that has appalled police.

It is nearly four times the legal drink-driving limit of 400mcg/L.

The 45-year-old was appeared in the district court yesterday afternoon charged with driving with excess breath alcohol, and careless driving.

He made no plea and was remanded to March 30 when he will appear again.

Mr Nicoll was in the workshop at Gary A Smith panel beaters on Tuam St when he heard a series of bangs about 12.30pm on March 4.

Police said the vehicle had turned left from Fitzgerald Ave and hit a parked car, which had been shunted forward - damaging two vehicles in front.

Mr Nicoll went outside in time to see a vehicle being driven along the footpath before it collided with the corner of a building.

The driver then reversed back into one of the three damaged vehicles – before driving forward again back into the building.

Mr Nicoll said he walked over and took the keys out of the ignition.

The driver did not protest.

"He was saying, ‘I’ll just get it off the road’. That’s about all he said," Mr Nicholl said.

"I was just trying to stop him driving off."

The company director of the panel beaters, Geoff Smith, said he saw the car fly past the window of the office.

The alleged driver told the men he was on his way to play golf, and that his friend had been driving. Golf clubs were in the boot. Another man in the car left the scene before police arrived.

Police said the man was so drunk he could barely stand when they spoke to him. The man was taken back to the central police station where he recorded the 1503mcg/L reading.

Mr Smith said the Tui beer can was left on the roof of the man’s vehicle.

"I can’t believe he cracked open a Tui, that was hilarious," Mr Smith said.

Mr Nicoll was surprised by the 1503mcg/L reading. He had expected the man would have had a high breath alcohol, but was not expecting it to be that much.

"If that is what he blew at lunchtime, imagine what he would blow by 3pm," Mr Smith said.

Road Policing Manager Inspector Al Stewart said it was "disappointing to still be finding examples of incredibly stupid, dangerous driving that has the potential to create so much harm in our local community."

"This guy seriously needs to look at himself and the danger he is creating on our roads," he said.

Inspector Stewart said fatalities on Canterbury roads were the lowest ever last year, with 31 deaths recorded, and there were no fatal road accidents in January and February.

"This indicates to us that the majority of Canterbury drivers are getting the message about the dangers of combining alcohol or speed behind the wheel."