An evidential breath test showed 1623 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. Photo / Duncan Brown
A fork lift operator who rear-ended a truck at traffic lights in Christchurch last night blew one of the highest breath-alcohol levels ever recorded in New Zealand.
Raymond George Gilchrist, 49, told police he'd downed five jugs of beer since he began drinking at 7am yesterday.
Despite not having a
licence, and being incredibly drunk, Gilchrist decided to get behind the wheel of his Toyota car at rush hour.
At about 5.35pm, he was driving on Brougham St in the Sydenham area of Christchurch in heavy commuter traffic.
The Sockburn man drove into the back of a stationary truck waiting in a line of traffic at a red light.
