Drink driver blames decision on his angst

A man who crashed his car into a lamppost was driving drunk due to "angst".

Peter Alfred Reid, 63, had visited a brewery on November 29, the Whanganui District Court heard on Tuesday.

He had gone to the brewery on a bus with his partner, but was driving his car later that day when he went off the left side of the road, over the kerb, and into a lamppost, police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler said.

A breath test showed him to have 728mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 250mcg.

Judge David Cameron noted Reid had gone on the bus but then made the decision to drive.

"There was a degree of angst, your honour," Reid told him.

Defence lawyer Harete Hipango said it was a "rough trip on the bus".

Ms Hipango said Reid, a former orchard manager, lost his job as a result of his offending.

He pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol third or subsequent.

Judge Cameron remanded him to March 10 for sentencing.