An alleged drunk driver led officers on a nearly 20-minute chase on foot after jumping down a cliff and on to a Dunedin beach, police say.
Officers came across the 36-year-old man walking along Taieri Mouth Rd, near Kuri Bush, on Friday.
He allegedly told them he had been drinking alcohol and crashed his ute.
The crash site was located and officers began the drink driving procedure.
But the man suddenly fled from police “and jumped down a small cliff on to the beach”, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said.
A chase ensued, and additional officers were called in before the man was ultimately wrestled to the ground and arrested.
“He was struggling with the initial officers for 15 to 20 minutes until the other units arrived.”
Once arrested, the man recorded a breath alcohol level of 691mcg — the legal limit for adults is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.
He was also a suspended driver.
It was lucky the man was subdued as it “could have been a lot worse”, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.
“We’ve had ones in the past where we’ve come off second best.”
The man was facing charges of careless driving, excess breath alcohol third or subsequent, driving while suspended, resisting police and escaping custody.
Police also stopped a drink driver in Bush Rd, Mosgiel, at 9pm on Saturday.
Complaints had been made about the 21-year-old driver’s manner of driving, and he recorded a breath alcohol level of more than 1000mcg, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.
However, the man had elected for a blood test.
The results of that were still pending.