A member of the public who spotted a man behaving in a drunken manner before hopping behind the wheel has aided Police in his arrest.
At about 8pm on Thursday, a Police unit was flagged down by a member of the public while driving along Onerahi Road.
Whangārei-Kaipara Area Commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom says the person told Police they had observed a man in a nearby takeaway shop who they believed was intoxicated.
"The person was able to provide officers with a detailed description of the male and his vehicle.
"Units have subsequently located the man driving and pulled him over where he was allegedly more than three times the legal alcohol limit."
Inspector Nordstrom says the man allegedly admitted to drinking more than a dozen beers and blew an alcohol reading on 805mcgs.
"We thank those who are alerting us to this behaviour, vigilant reporting is often the key to Police being able to respond in a timely manner and hold people to account for their actions.
A 57-year-old man has been remanded in custody to reappear in Whangārei District Court on 27 October.