Lauaki charged wtih careless driving

Lauaki crashed after the Chiefs played the Cheetahs in Hamilton. Photo / Christine Cornege

Former All Black, Chiefs rugby player Sione Lauaki has been charged with careless driving after a car crash in the Waikato last month, but blood tests showed he was well under the legal drink-driving limit.

Lauaki walked away from the early morning crash south of Huntly on April 24 with a minor arm injury. He had been driving to Auckland.

Waikato police today said blood tests showed he had been drinking but was "well below" the legal limit and the 28-year-old had been charged with careless driving.

Lauaki's car left the road, about 4.20am, the morning after he played in the Chiefs' 25-25 Super 14 draw with the Cheetahs in Hamilton.

Lauaki also appeared in Hamilton District Court last week for sentencing after pleading guilty to a charge of common assault after punching a man at a Hamilton bar on March 5.

His sentencing was adjourned to June 24 so he could apply for a discharge without conviction.

Last year, Lauaki attended an anger management course after he was charged with damaging windows and a TV set at a motel. In 2006, he was offered police diversion after assaulting a doorman.

Lauaki played the last of his 17 tests against Samoa in September 2008.

- NZPA