Boozed driver retrieves car then crashes into ditch

A young Christchurch motorist caught drink driving and immediately suspended for 28 days returned later in a taxi to get his car back - and ended up crashing it.

Police say the 20-year-old is lucky to be alive after his car nearly flipped in a water race sometime between 3am and 5am on Sunday.

Just after midnight he had been stopped by police leaving a hotel car park in Lincoln. He was taken to the Rolleston police station for processing.

Constable Blair Croucher said due to the high alcohol reading his licence was automatically suspended for 28 days. The driver was then taken to his Rolleston home by police.

But he later got a taxi back to the hotel car park in Lincoln where he retrieved his car and drove off, crashing later in a water race on Trices Rd, Prebbleton.

“The only thing that stopped his car going into the water and turning upside down was two tree stumps on the bank. If those two tree stumps weren’t there and his vehicle overturned, we would have been looking at a fatality,” Croucher said.

He had lost control on Trices Rd after going onto a grass verge. He then clipped a power pole and ended up in the water race.

The vehicle sustained extensive damage. The air bags were deployed and the 20-year-old received minor bruising from his seat belt. He was able to get out of the vehicle and phone a friend to come and pick him up.

Croucher was made aware of the crash about 7am, after a passing motorist contacted police. The 20-year-old’s parents arrived while Croucher was there.

Later, Croucher went to the driver’s workplace where he passed a breath test. He then explained what had happened.

“He was expecting me to turn up, and he was very helpful and very co-operative. Once I spoke to him, his judgement wasn’t clouded (by alcohol) any more,” Croucher said.