Crimeline
Two drivers fall asleep at the wheel - Lake Hayes
Police are warning both overseas and Kiwi drivers to make sure they take regular breaks during long trips, or change drivers if they’re tired, after two separate accidents in two days this week in the Wakatipu when drivers appear to have fallen asleep at the wheel.
A 58-year-old Australian driver was charged with three counts of careless driving causing injury after a rental vehicle with four Australian tourists travelling east on State Highway 6 at Lake Hayes allegedly veered off the road and hit a tree just after 4.30pm on Sunday, 15 February.
A St John Ambulance spokesperson says three people were injured, two seriously and one suffering moderate injuries. One of the serious patients – a woman, was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital by Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter, while the other two patients were transported to Lakes District Hospital by road ambulance. Two ambulances and an operations manager attended the accident which happened near the Lake Hayes Pavilion.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says the driver appeared in the Queenstown District Court yesterday (Wednesday, 18 February). He says the crash was due to fatigue with the driver appearing to have fallen asleep at the wheel.
The rental vehicle was extensively damaged in the crash, he says.
Gibbston
Just over 48 hours later another driver crashed on Gibbston Highway after allegedly falling asleep at the wheel just after 6.20pm and colliding with an Aurora power transformer, Constable Amanda Shute says. The vehicle then allegedly continued on hitting a fence before coming to a stop rolled onto its left side, she says.
The driver had allegedly approached a long sweeping left turn and fallen asleep, Shute says.
A Police spokesperson says investigations into the crash remain ongoing. The nationality and age of the driver couldn’t be confirmed at this stage.
With driver fatigue causing two accidents in two days locally, Police say it’s a timely reminder for all drivers to take regular breaks or change drivers, if possible.
Central Queenstown crash
A passenger was taken to Lakes District Hospital after an accident at the Lake Street-Lake Esplanade corner at 1.20pm on Saturday.
Shute says a vehicle was travelling down Lake Street and failed to give way to a stationary turning vehicle. Investigations are continuing.
Drink driving
A 26-year-old man allegedly blew 857mcg after being stopped by Police on Stanley Street when he’d allegedly been seen driving with no headlights on and swerving across the lane at 5.20am on Saturday, 14 February, Shute says. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 27 February.
Infringement notices:
32-year-old Queenstown man, 400mcg, 12.38am, Speargrass Flat Road, 16 February.
70-year-old man, 326mcg, 11.54pm, Central Street,12 February.
21-year-old Queenstown man, 366mcg, 3.18am Frankton-Ladies Mile, 11 February.
Climbers rescued off Mount Brewster
Two climbers were rescued after they fell on Mount Brewster in Mount Aspiring National Park on Sunday afternoon, 15 February.
A spokesperson for Maritime NZ says the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) received a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) activation at 3:25pm. “Our team established that two climbers had fallen, with one climber unable to walk due to their injuries.”
RCCNZ coordinated the rescue response with a Lakes District Air Rescue Trust helicopter, based in Queenstown, sent along with a helicopter from Aspiring Helicopters with the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue (ACR) team onboard in case a technical rescue was required.
The rescue helicopter arrived on the scene first and located both patients, the spokesperson says.
“A technical rescue wasn’t required - meaning the climbers didn’t require a complex alpine rescue – so the second helicopter with the ACR team onboard was stood down.”
One patient was treated at the scene and continued their climb. The second patient was winched aboard the rescue helicopter and flown to Lakes District Hospital with minor injuries.
Facial injuries after diving into river
A person was airlifted to hospital from Greenstone Hut, about 37kms west of Queenstown, around 6.30pm on Wednesday, 11 February, with facial injuries after they had dived into a river.
A Maritime NZ spokesperson says a Queenstown-based rescue helicopter was sent after they received a personal locator beacon alert and found the person with facial injuries at the hut.
A St John Ambulance spokesperson says the patient was treated at the scene and then flown to Lakes District Hospital in a moderate condition for further assessment.
The beacon used in the rescue had been hired in Queenstown.
“If you don’t own a beacon, hiring one is a good idea when you’re heading into the outdoors,” the Maritime NZ spokesperson says.
