Western Bay of Plenty police say they caught one of the worst drink drivers ever recorded in the region after stopping a man who blew a breath alcohol level of 1780mcg - three times the legal limit.
Senior sergeant Ian Campion believes if the man was not stopped, there is no doubt he would have caused a fatal car accident.


File picture.

"He was grossly intoxicated and was weaving across the road. He was a fatality waiting to happen," says Ian.
The 55 year old Ohope man was caught on Strand Road in Te Puke on June 3.
Ian says the man drove to Te Puke from Ohope and was planning to travel onto Hamilton, through Tauranga, before he was stopped by police.
Police were alerted about the driver after a member of the public phoned *555 and reported the man's dangerous driving.
"It's absolutely appalling someone in that condition was sharing the road with everyone else."
Ian says the man was so intoxicated that it took him a long period to sober-up in police cells.
Police are praising the actions of the motorist who reported the incident.
"The person that called police needs to be commended. That sort of call is like gold to us. It's the difference between keeping the road safe or not."
The man will appear in Tauranga District Court on June 16.