Crimeline

Crash - Teenager allegedly blows three and half times legal adult limit

Police are reiterating stern warnings to anyone thinking they’ll take the risk to drink and drive after a teenage driver, who allegedly crashed into a fence on Littles Road, allegedly blew three and a half times over the legal adult limit.

The legal alcohol limit for a driver under 20 is zero alcohol. 

Constable Amanda Shute says Police were called to the single vehicle crash at 12.31am on Sunday, 2 November, after the young driver allegedly lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a fence and a ditch.

He’s been referred to Police Youth Aid Services.

 

Weaving driver allegedly almost five times over

A 36-year-old local man allegedly blew almost five times the legal alcohol limit after allegedly crossing the centre line and cutting off other vehicles near Frankton at 6.45pm on Friday, 31 October. Shute says Police received a complaint about the man’s driving and he was stopped at BP and breath tested, allegedly blowing 1142mcg. He was charged with drink driving and had his licence suspended for 28 days.

A 35-year-old local man allegedly blew 600mcg when he was stopped in Shotover Country just after 12.15am on Monday. He will appear in court on 14 November.

“We’re moving into the warmer weather and festive season, and people need to be more conscious about making sensible decisions,” Otago Lakes Road Policing Sergeant Bruce Martin says. “If you’re going to drink it’s not worth the risk of getting behind the wheel after a couple of drinks as the consequences aren’t worth it. It impacts so many lives – the driver, those close to them and other road users and their families with what can be very serious ramifications also affecting employment,” he says. People need to arrange an alternative means of transport home, Uber, taxi or pick up.

 

Repeat drink driving

Two alleged repeat drink drivers have been charged in the past week with drink driving – third or subsequent. 

A 36-year-old local man was charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol level – third or subsequent and resisting Police after a complaint from the public that he had allegedly overtaken on double yellow lines on Lower Shotover Bridge at 9.23pm on Saturday, 1 November.

Shute says Police were initially called to Frankton-Ladies Mile after another member of the public called to say the man had allegedly been observed urinating on a McDonald’s sign before getting into his vehicle and driving off. The driving complaint then followed and the man allegedly “became very abusive” when he was stopped by Police and allegedly failed an initial passive screening test, she says. 

“Checks revealed the man was on bail conditions not to consume alcohol and he was placed under arrest for breach of bail,” Shute says. He then allegedly began to resist Police and threatened to knock them out, she says.

Police eventually gained control, and the man was transported to the Queenstown Police Station where he underwent an evidential breath test allegedly blowing 776mcg.

The man appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday 3 November and was bailed to reappear on 1 December. 

A 61-year-old Queenstown man also allegedly blew in the mid-500mcgs when he was stopped at just before 7pm on 30 October on Lake Esplanade, Frankton. He’s been charged with drink driving – third or subsequent and will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 17 November.

 

Court date – meth and cocaine for supply

Police investigations are continuing after a significant drug-related arrest in Glenorchy on October 31 when a search warrant netted cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis, drug dealing paraphernalia, and approximately $11,000 cash.

A 46-year-old Glenorchy man was remanded in custody in the Queenstown District Court and will face charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply and possession of cocaine for supply when he reappears on 17 November, a Police spokesperson says.

Detective Senior Sergeant Regan Boucher says the arrest was “the culmination of significant and complex work by the Otago Lakes Central

Organised Crime Team” and part of an ongoing operation targeting the supply of methamphetamine within the local community.

 

Checkpoint nets cannabis

A 26-year-old Southland man was charged with possessing cannabis for supply and possessing a pipe or utensil for cannabis after about 80grams of cannabis was allegedly found under the passenger seat of his car when he was stopped at a Frankton Police checkpoint. 

Constable Amanda Shute says Police searched the vehicle when they smelt cannabis at the checkpoint at 7.15pm on Friday, 31 October.

The man will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 15 December.

 

Three car nose to tail – Traffic backed up

Traffic was backed up from near Boyd Road on the Queenstown to Jack’s Point highway for some time just after 5.30pm on Tuesday, 4 November, after a three-car, nose to tail collision in the dip just prior to Boyd Road. Both Queenstown and Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigades turned out with Queenstown Fire and St John Ambulance stood down. Frankton Senior Station Officer Paul Halstead says there were no injuries and the brigade helped push one of the cars, which was moderately damaged, off the road to allow traffic through.