Crash 'the making' of over limit man

A Havelock panel beater driving with more than twice the legal breath alcohol limit spun out on Queen Charlotte Dr after failing to take a corner, police say.

Lyndon Adam Griffiths, 24, yesterday admitted careless driving and driving with excess breath alcohol when he appeared in Blenheim District Court.

A charge of interfering with a motor vehicle was withdrawn.

Griffiths was fined $1250, court costs, sentenced to six months' supervision and disqualified for eight months.

Griffiths was found to have 1018 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Graham Single said Griffiths was driving a Nissan car between Havelock and Picton, about 1.55am on February 4.

Griffiths lost control on a moderate left-hand bend about two kilometres from the start of Queen Charlotte Dr, spun 180 degrees and came to a stop in vegetation.

Defence counsel Mike Hardy-Jones said Griffiths was undertaking alcohol and drug counselling with his father. The family accepted there were alcohol problems in the family and were taking steps to deal with it.

"This is a personally difficult time for him, but this is the thing that is the making of him."

Judge Tony Zohrab said Griffiths had no criminal history, but many people would find it difficult to find their cars at that level of intoxication and Queen Charlotte Dr was difficult to drive even when sober.

Other drink drivers in court:

Maurice Douglas Garrett, 60, a contractor of Blenheim, 191 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (legal limit is 80mg), a third or subsequent charge, was ordered to complete 250 hours' community work, nine months' supervision, ordered to pay medical fees and disqualified for 18 months.

Callum Mark Simmons, 19, a forestry worker of Blenheim, 633mcg, fined $600, court costs and disqualified for six months.

Matthew Thomas Deason, 20, of Blenheim, 578mcg, fined $500, court costs and disqualified for six months.

Ben Jeffrey Ellis, 19, of Picton, 564mcg, fined $500, court costs and disqualified for six months.

Nathan John Dredge, 29, unemployed of Blenheim, 1050mcg, a third or subsequent charge, will be sentenced on April 11.

- The Marlborough Express Last updated 07:20 21/02/2012