A man who failed to see a line of cars blamed the burrito he was eating, rather than his drinking for the crash. Photo / 123RF
A man who failed to see a line of cars blamed the burrito he was eating, rather than his drinking for the crash. Photo / 123RF
Ross Coeland admits he'd been drinking before he got behind the wheel of a car, but says it was the burrito he was eating, rather than the beers he'd consumed that caused him to slam into a line of traffic.
The police said he failed to see the carahead because of how intoxicated he was.
The 65-year-old had grabbed a burrito on his way home from town on a wintry afternoon in early June. While driving on Whakatu Drive - the state highway south of Nelson, he was distracted enough by his food to not see the car ahead.
He told police he had been drinking, and was subsequently charged with driving with excess breath alcohol for a third or subsequent time. His most recent conviction was in July 2017.
A man eating a burrito while driving drunk ended up covered in it after he crashed into a line of cars he failed to see. Photo / 123RF
Coeland admitted the recent charge when he appeared briefly in the Nelson District Court today. He'd been found on June 2 to have been driving while more than three times the legal limit.
The police summary of facts showed he had a reading of 861 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, and that he had been drinking alcohol before picking up a burrito which he was eating as he drove.
"Due to his intoxication and distraction the defendant failed to see a line of traffic which had slowed to a crawl," police prosecution told the court.
When he eventually noticed it, he tried to take evasive action, but it was too late.
