"She was swearing, unsteady on her feet ..." Mr Harker said.
"She had no regard for any other law-abiding road users and was self-obsessed on getting to Christchurch."
Mr Harker said police were now trying to get to the bottom of how she was able to start the car again.
He believed the woman had gone on to drink more alcohol after being nabbed in Ashburton, due to her increased excess breath alcohol reading.
"I would say she has carried on drinking after leaving the Ashburton Police Station. You would think the reading would have gone down to maybe 400 or 500 after she has been released six hours later. Where what or how we don't know."
Police had impounded the woman's car.
A 38-year-old Timaru woman will appear in the Christchurch District Court on March 4 charged with driving while suspended and driving with excess breath alcohol for the third or subsequent time.