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.<\/p>\n
Officers came across the 36-year-old man walking along Taieri Mouth Rd, near Kuri Bush, on Friday.<\/p>\n
He allegedly told them he had been drinking alcohol and crashed his ute.<\/p>\n
The crash site was located and officers began the drink driving procedure.<\/p>\n
But the man suddenly fled from police “and jumped down a small cliff on to the beach”, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said.<\/p>\n
A chase ensued, and additional officers were called in before the man was ultimately wrestled to the ground and arrested.<\/p>\n
“He was struggling with the initial officers for 15 to 20 minutes until the other units arrived.”<\/p>\n
Once arrested, the man recorded a breath alcohol level of 691mcg \u2014 the legal limit for adults is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.<\/p>\n
He was also a suspended driver.<\/p>\n
It was lucky the man was subdued as it “could have been a lot worse”, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.<\/p>\n
“We’ve had ones in the past where we’ve come off second best.”<\/p>\n
The man was facing charges of careless driving, excess breath alcohol third or subsequent, driving while suspended, resisting police and escaping custody.<\/p>\n
Police also stopped a drink driver in Bush Rd, Mosgiel, at 9pm on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Complaints had been made about the 21-year-old driver\u2019s manner of driving, and he recorded a breath alcohol level of more than 1000mcg, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.<\/p>\n
However, the man had elected for a blood test.<\/p>\n
The results of that were still pending.<\/p>\n