It’s by good fortune only that Police are not advising the public of a serious or fatal crash in rural Auckland overnight.

Instead, an allegedly intoxicated man will face the Pukekohe District Court on a raft of charges after he crashed his van in Runciman.

At around 12.43am, Police responded to a crash on Runciman, in southern Auckland.

“A Mitsubishi van and trailer had jackknifed, completely blocking Runciman Road,” Counties Manukau South Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes says.

“When units attended the driver was asleep at the driver’s wheel, and it was suspected he was under the influence of a substance.”

Alarmingly, Police also located methamphetamine and other substances in his van.

Inspector Hoyes says the man was going to be transported to Pukekohe Police Station for a Compulsory Impairment Test (CIT) but was taken to hospital for assessment after becoming increasingly incoherent.

“Police have since charged the 55-year-old man with driving and drugs offences after this morning’s crash,” he says.

Those charges include careless driving, possession of a precursor substance with intent, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a class A substance.

He has also been charged with refusing to supply blood. The man will appear in the Pukekohe District Court today.

It could have been worse.

“This incident could have easily resulted in our staff attending where someone had suffered serious or fatal injuries as a result,” Inspector Hoyes says.

“The man’s actions were reckless, and people need to realise that driving under the influence puts lives at risk.”

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