Police are awaiting test results to confirm what could be New Zealand's highest breath alcohol reading to date.
Whakatane police pulled over a man in Kawerau at 7.15am yesterday after a member of the public reported concerns over his behaviour.
He was the only person in the vehicle at the time.
The man's breath alcohol reading was over 2000 micrograms per litre of breath, Sergeant Ray Wylie said - more than eight times the legal limit of 250mcg.
The result was definitely the highest he had ever seen in the region - and quite possibly the country, Sgt Wylie said.
It would take up to four weeks to get the blood tests back.
Woman ploughs into Huntly house
A woman who crashed her vehicle into a house in Huntly this morning was driving at more than three times the limit.
When breath tested, she recorded 776mcg following the 12.50am crash on Paki St, Waikato police spokesman Andrew McAlley said.
Police are yet to confirm details of the crash, but it appears from skid marks at the scene that the car failed to negotiate a sweeping right bend on Baker St, crashing through a give way sign, crossing into Paki St and ploughing into the bottom of the house.
Northern fire communications shift manager Megan Ruru said firefighters arrived at the scene to find a Nissan Tito vehicle stuck underneath the house and a decision was made to leave it in place until the morning.
A neighbour, who declined to be named, said she had just finished a night shift and was up and about when she heard the car screeching and then a big bang as it hit the house.
"The car has to stay there because the house will fall down ... It took out one of the main beams, or something."
The woman said a family of five or six had just recently moved into the house and was sleeping in the lounge - directly above where the car crashed through. No one was injured.
Police said a council building inspector would liaise with firefighters about removing the car.
The driver has been charged with drink-driving and dangerous driving and would appear in the Huntly District Court in due course, police said.
- NEWSTALK ZB and NZME.News Service
