Tauranga - Inebriated driver causes damage

A Mitsubishi Chariot vehicle driven by a 23 year old man was tracked down by Police after it was located in the early hours of the morning on the 8th of February 2012 in a Tauranga Suburb.

Police located the vehicle and driver after following a trail of debris and road surface damage caused by the driver driving on three wheels for 11km across the city.
Police first noticed a blown tyre lying on the road on Osprey Drive, Welcome Bay and observed a gauge trail leading away from the tyre. Eventually, Police located the vehicle on Maxwells Rd.

The driver was located asleep in his vehicle totally unaware of the trail he had left behind. The vehicle had suffered major damage and the front left rim had been reduced to the hub.

The driver was processed for drink driving and was two and a half times the legal limit. He will be appearing in the Tauranga District Court for EBA and Dangerous Driving.

"Thanks to two very keen officers their doggedness and determination resulted in removing an unsafe vehicle and driver from the roads, thankfully no one was hurt." says Acting Sergeant Wayne Lambert.

"The guys came upon the tyre and decided to follow the trail not expecting for it to end so far away" says Acting Sergeant Wayne Lambert.