Crimeline

Ute flips, crashes into parked Jeep at Lake Hayes Estate
- Occupants flee
Police are working to identify the driver and three passengers of a Nissan ute that flipped onto its roof allegedly colliding with a parked Jeep, which then careered into a parked Volvo at Lake Hayes Estate at 12.20am on Saturday, 15 November. Constable Amanda Shute says the driver and passengers of the Nissan then allegedly fled the scene. “The Nissan was being driven along Erskine Street towards Sylvan Street when it collided with the parked Jeep on the righthand side of the road,” Shute says. That was then pushed into a parked Volvo in front of it,” she says. “The Nissan ute flipped, coming to rest on its roof.” Enquiries are continuing to identify the driver and occupants.

Suspected arson in Glenorchy
Police are assisting Fire and Emergency NZ investigators after a suspected arson in Shiel Street, Glenorchy, at 2.30am on Friday, 14 November. Shute says Police were called by FENZ to attend the scene of a large out of control fire at a house in Shiel Street and enquiries are continuing as to its cause.

FENZ Otago Lakes group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says the fire was centred in a shed and sleepout on a property and a Queenstown fire investigator visited the scene the following day. McQuillan says they’re awaiting the outcome of the investigations and the fire is being treated as a suspected arson.

In the right place at a bad time
A visitor to Queenstown in his 60s, who had a sudden cardiac medical event right outside the Queenstown Fire Station in Isle Street around midday on Tuesday, 18 November, couldn’t have been in a more appropriate place to receive help at the time. Within a minute or two he was surrounded by experienced rescue firefighters, who came running from the station, and doctors and nurses from the Queenstown Medical Centre next door, who also rushed to his aid, FENZ group manager (Central Otago) Bobby Lamont says. “We responded to a cardiac event outside the station and there were multiple staff from the medical centre also there helping him,” Lamont says. The Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter flew in and airlifted him to Dunedin Hospital straight away. “He

was very lucky to have so many of the right people on hand straight away,” Lamont says.

A spokesperson for St John Ambulance says the patient was airlifted in a serious condition and one first response unit attended along with the rescue helicopter.

Family feud
A 37-year-old Dunedin man was arrested for fighting, later released with a warning, after a fight broke out between two male cousins in Brecon Street outside a bar just after 7pm on Sunday, 16 November. Shute says the pair had been removed from the bar due to their behaviour towards other patrons and were allegedly fighting each other outside in a public place. The 37-year-old allegedly continued with the aggression, she says.

Lucky escape prompts drink drive warning
Police are urging people to be “really conscious” not to put themselves and others at risk as the Christmas party season winds up and the warmer summer weather approaches, after a very fortunate escape in Central Otago on Saturday, 15 November.

Otago Lakes Road Policing Sergeant Bruce Martin says they’re awaiting a blood alcohol level result after an Alexandra driver in his 30s allegedly blew a “very high” breath alcohol level, colliding with rock cutting at the Ophir Bridge at 9.15pm. The man requested a blood test. “The impact destroyed a wheel on his vehicle and caused mild damage to the bridge,” Martin says. His licence was automatically suspended for 28 days. Fortunately, the driver and his male passenger were not injured.

“It’s very disappointing and another reminder about the dangers to yourself and others from drink driving,” he says. It’s vital that people plan a safe method home before they head out drinking for the evening. “The more people drink the more likely they are to make poor decisions that get them behind the wheel,” Martin says. “This could lead to serious ramifications, including losing their licence, which could impact on their employment, and the real risk of injuring or killing someone in a vehicle crash.”

Drink driving:
Infringement notices - driving with breath alcohol level 250 – 400mcg:

25-year-old, local man, 400mcg, Frankton Road, 3.37am, Saturday, 15 November.

31-year-old local man, Kingston Road, 400mcg, 3.41am, Saturday, 15 November.

29-year-old local man, Kawarau Road, 304mcg, 2.25am, Tuesday, 18 November.

Serious fall – Coronet Peak
The rescue helicopter also responded after a person suffered serious injuries in a fall on Coronet Peak around 2pm on Friday, 14 November. A St John Ambulance spokesperson says two ambulances also responded to the callout. “Our ambulance staff treated a patient in a serious condition and transported them (by road) to Lakes District Hospital.” No information was available about the nature of the fall.