Drunken lettuce run

Aman who drove drunk to get lettuce from the supermarket has been urged by a judge to addwalking to his list of healthy habits. Joseph Steven Wharehinga, 26, pleaded guilty in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday to drink-driving. Hewas breath-tested in November after being spotted driving along Featherston St, Palmerston North. He returned a reading of 772 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250mcg. Defence lawyer Marina Anderson said Wharehingawaswanting to make salad for lunch butwas out of lettuce, so drove to the supermarket to pick up some greens. ‘‘He said he could havewalked to the supermarket.’’ Wharehinga had no previous convictions, Anderson said. Judge Stephanie Edwards said it was an expensive error of judgment, aswell as an ‘‘expensive salad’’, especially as Wharehinga recognised he could have walked. ‘‘It is one thing to be getting healthy food, butwalking to get healthy food makes it even better.’’ Wharehinga was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for six months.