A 23-year-old man is set to appear in Queenstown court on Aug. 1 after being caught driving with a blood alcohol level more than four times the legal limit early Friday at the resort.
Police praised the public for alerting them after seeing the drunk man drive out of a gas station on Frankton Rd around 4:20 am.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson of Queenstown said police saw the vehicle swinging through road works on the edge of the CBD, but the driver did not stop.
The vehicle was found a short time later in the CBD of Queenstown.
The driver was breath tested and returned a result of 1184mcg – the legal limit is 250mcg.
Otago Lakes Central Area, Acting Chief of Police, Sergeant Bruce Martin, said the driver was arrested and charged with drink-driving and failure to stop.
His vehicle was impounded.
“If you’re thinking about drinking, think about getting home safely,” Sergeant Martin said.
“Get a taxi or arrange a driver and help everyone get home safely.
“You can expect our agents to be on site anytime and anywhere to prevent unsafe driving.”
Meanwhile, a 37-year-old man was incarcerated on Thursday and charged with three burglaries in Queenstown.
The spate of break-ins happened in the Wakatipu in the past month – in Arrowtown, Shotover Country and Jack’s Point. sr. Sgt. In any case, Wilkinson said it looked like someone went into empty houses and stayed for a while.
He said the alleged perpetrator was clearly sleeping in the residences, using the facilities and then taking things with him before moving on to another place.
The man, who has no permanent residence, has been remanded in custody and will appear in court at a later date.