An Auckland motorcyclist, caught at nearly twice the legal alcohol limit, fled from police at high speed before trying to hide his Harley Davidson at a property where officers later found drugs, authorities allege.
Officers spotted the rider along with his female passenger on Great South Rd in Papatoetoe at around 1.38am on Tuesday.
With lights and siren activated, Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey said police tried pulling the biker over due to the "driving behaviour" observed.
"The rider has failed to stop and sped away from the unit at high speed and was seen running a red light," he said.
The rider wasn’t pursued by officers on the ground, according to Albrey, but the Police Eagle helicopter continued tracking its movements.
"Eagle located the motorcycle heading into a Papatoetoe property, attempting to hide in a garage. Ground units attended the address and located both the rider and his passenger.”
Police said the rider, a Papatoetoe man, appeared intoxicated and allegedly returned a breath alcohol result of 441mcg - nearly twice the legal breath alcohol limit.
A 48-year-old man will be summonsed to court for a drink driving offence, with the motorcycle passenger, a 34-year-old woman, also arrested on an unrelated warrant.
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"Operating any vehicle or motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol is extremely risky. It’s fortunate that the rider, his passenger or anyone else in the community wasn’t injured as a result of his actions last night," Albrey said.
But locating the pair wasn't the final part of the early morning ride.
While at the Papatoetoe property, police allege there were further discoveries, including methamphetamine utensils, a bag of cannabis, and a cannabis plant.
These items were seized by officers.
Inquiries were ongoing into the drug offences relating to the 48-year-old man, according to a police spokesperson. The motorcycle involved was impounded, they added.
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