Visitor fails test An Auckland visitor got to meet some of the local police force when he was stopped and breath-tested. Whangarei police Sergeant Storm Sandilands said the 50-year-old was stopped on Percy St at 11pm on Sunday. He recorded a breath alcohol reading of 525 micrograms of alcohol per litreof breath. The legal limit is 400mcg. He will appear in Whangarei District Court next week.
Young driver charged A Far North driver will have another reason to visit Whangarei in a few weeks' time but this time it will be for a court appearance. The 18-year-old female was stopped on Waitawa Rd in Tikipunga, about 3.30am on Saturday. She recorded a breath alcohol level of 663mcg. Drivers 19 and under are not permitted to have drunk any alcohol. A 29-year-old Kaitaia man who was breath-tested about 2am on Saturday on the roadside at Onerahi recorded a level of 721mcg.
Vehicle impounded A 32-year-old man disqualified from driving chanced his luck on the weekend. However, police stopped him while cruising through Te Kopuru, near Dargaville, on Sunday. Officers checked their records and found it was the man's third and subsequent time he had been caught driving while disqualified. Police impounded the vehicle and gave the man a date to appear in court.
Stolen bike recovered One of five trail bikes stolen from a Kerikeri shed last month has been recovered from a Puketona Rd property. An 18-year-old man was arrested last Thursday and charged with receiving stolen property. He is on bail but with a 24-hour curfew. Police inquiries are continuing to recover the other bikes, said to be worth a total of $25,000.
Teen on drink charge An 18-year-old man has had his car impounded for 28 days and faces a drink-driving charge after allegedly recording a breath-alcohol level more than twice the adult limit. The teen was pulled over on Kapiro Rd, north of Kerikeri, on Saturday when police say he blew 843 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The limit for drivers aged under 20 is zero; for adults it is 400mcg.
