Drivers flouting the law in Christchurch

An increasing degree of lawlessness is being witnessed on Christchurch roads with seven drink-drivers caught within a few hours overnight.

In one case a 35-year-old man completely ignored police and military personnel on the cordon at Moorhouse Avenue and Durham Street and drove straight between the cones into the CBD. He was stopped and found to be over the drink-drive limit. He was also arrested for possession of cannabis.

Six others were located within a short space of time including a 19-year-old woman on Moorhouse Avenue more than twice the legal limit. A military vehicle came across a man who had rolled his vehicle on Harper Avenue. Fortunately there were medic on board the military vehicle who rendered first aid before he was taken to hospital. Alcohol is suspected.

Police tonight staged a number of random checkpoints around Christchurch to provide a highly visible presence and send a clear message that the extraordinary circumstances that currently face the city are no excuse for flouting the law. At one checkpoint a 34-year-old Dunedin man was found to be wanted on a prison recall warrant.

The Christchurch community has had enough tragedy and loss of life without idiots taking to the roads and putting more lives at risk," said Supt Russell Gibson. "The work we are doing is as much about providing a reassuring presence as it is about enforcement. We are sensitive to the situation in Christchurch and have exercised a degree of tolerance and discretion but we won't just stand back and allow people to just disregard the law."

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