Highway warmth attracts drunk man

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A 52-year-old man lay in the middle of Bluff Highway while highly intoxicated early this morning, telling police he had fallen into a creek and sat on the road because it was warm.

Steven Douglas Thomson appeared before Judge Phil Moran this morning in Invercargill District Court for committing a criminal nuisance by doing an unlawful act, namely lying on State Highway 1, knowing such an act would endanger the lives of the public. He was convicted and discharged.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Mills said a member of the public called police after she drove off a side street on to Bluff Highway at 2.15am and narrowly missed crashing into Thomson, who was sitting in the middle of the road.

The woman then watched him lie down on the road and begin rolling in the middle of the south-bound lane, Mr Mills said.

The road has a 70kmh speed limit, Thomson was not easily visible because of his dark clothing and the weather was cloudy and raining, Mr Mills said.

When police arrived about three minutes later, Thomson was lying in the middle of the road.

Mr Mills said Thomson told police he was too drunk and had got lost before falling in a creek and had then sat on the road because it was warm. He also asked what the problem would be if someone had run him over, he said.

Lawyer Carmen Gillett said Thomson had been to a party and was highly intoxicated. He was sorry he had upset the woman.

- © Fairfax NZ News