A man with 10 previous drink-driving convictions and a woman assessed as being incapable of driving, who had two passengers in the boot of her car, were among nine people processed for drink-driving in North Otago at the weekend.
Yesterday, Sergeant Tony Woodbridge said 2128 vehicles were stopped during the drink-drive operation.
There were concerns about the number of recidivist drink-drivers, high breath-alcohol levels and long distances being attempted on main roads.
A 46-year-old Hamilton man, driving from Christchurch to Queenstown and who had 10 previous convictions, recorded a breath-alcohol level of 998mcg.
A motorist contacted police on Friday night after stopping to help an apparently lost man in Oamaru.
A 17-year-old Oamaru youth recorded 983mcg, while a 49-year-old Waimate man, with eight previous convictions, was caught driving back to Waimate after drinking at Waikouaiti.
On Saturday, a 19-year-old Christchurch woman was assessed by a doctor as being incapable of driving because of alcohol consumption.
Two passengers in her boot had been charged with riding in a dangerous position, while the woman was also charged with allowing people to ride in a dangerous position.
Police said a 23-year-old Oamaru man, who had his licence back three days following a drink-driving conviction, failed to stop for police and lost control of his vehicle, coming to rest on the footpath on Thames St and narrowly missing a pedestrian.
He had a breath-alcohol level of 912mcg.
