Crimeline
Police appeal to drivers ahead of busy Easter holiday traffic - Fatal accident
Police are appealing to drivers in the lead-up to Easter and the school holidays to make sure they’re well rested before a long journey, haven’t been drinking, keep to the right speed, and allow plenty of room to react when following.
Otago Lakes Road Policing Sergeant Bruce Martin says Warbirds is coming up and there are a lot of events planned with Easter fast approaching. “We can expect a really big increase in traffic on our roads from now through the school holidays so please be patient and allow extra time,” Martin says.
He’s urging people to leave a bit earlier: “It’s time to relax and enjoy a break. Don’t get stressed. Take your time and don’t get frustrated in heavy traffic flows.”
Emergency services attended two accidents, including a fatality, on the Lindis Pass – a major thoroughfare in and out of Queenstown-Lakes Central Otago, on Sunday, 15 March, in which a 71-year-old New Zealand man on holiday was killed in a two-vehicle collision,
“This was a very tragic event for everyone involved,” Martin says.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, and a Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson says they were called after a campervan involved in the crash, which occurred around 12.20pm, caught fire. Fire crews from Cromwell, Tarras, Luggate and Omarama attended the accident on the Lindis Pass-Tarras Road, on the Tarras side of the summit, assisting Police and other emergency services.
The State Highway was closed until not long before 7pm that evening with traffic diverted while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination.
“Sadly, despite the best efforts of emergency services, one person died at the scene,” a Police spokesperson says.
The man’s partner travelling with him was treated by St John Ambulance crews, as were the people in the campervan.
The Otago Rescue Helicopter flew one person in a moderate condition to Lakes District Hospital, another patient in a minor condition was taken
by road ambulance to Oamaru Hospital and another patient in a minor condition was treated at the scene, a St John Ambulance spokesperson says.
Later the same day a minor accident occurred after a series of nose to tails when a vehicle was pulling over into a viewing car park, also on the Lindis Pass, Martin says. Three cars were involved and one, that was towing a caravan, allegedly wasn’t able to stop in time.
“We’re noticing people don’t leave enough room while following other vehicles when travelling in 100km/hr zones,” he says. “They follow at the same distance that they would in a 50km/hr zone. Leave plenty of room for the unexpected.”
Stuck in the loo rescue
Frankton volunteer firefighters were called to assist a person stuck in a public toilet at Frankton at 2.30pm on Saturday. A FENZ spokesperson says a member of the public had managed to free them before the fire crews arrived.
Late night fighting
A 19-year-old man allegedly had to be restrained by three security guards after fighting with three males in Searle Lane around 11.15pm on Saturday, 14 March. Constable Amanda Shute says he was arrested and issued with a formal warning.
An 18-year-old local man was also issued with a formal warning after Police allegedly noticed a group of disorderly males fighting at the top of the Mall, near Camp Street, at 3am on Sunday, 15 March. Shute says one person was identified as the alleged main offender, arrested and returned to the Queenstown Police Station where he was issued with the warning.
Road crashes
Investigations are continuing after a two-vehicle collision on Hunter Road at 6.22pm on Friday, 13 March, in which one vehicle allegedly collided with the side of another as the driver attempted to swerve to avoid a head-on collision, Shute says.
Police attended another two-vehicle collision at the McDonnell-Gibbston Highway intersection at 11.30am on Tuesday, 17 March. One driver has allegedly failed to give way at the intersection and was issued with an infringement notice, she says.
The same day just before 8.40am a vehicle travelling on Robertson Street allegedly failed to give way to a cyclist colliding with them at the roundabout. Shute says the cyclist was taken to Lakes District Hospital with a leg injury and investigations are ongoing.
Tinder dry warnings - checkitsalright
Meanwhile, Police say the house fire in Jack’s Point started with a cigarette butt and FENZ is warning people to remain vigilant with the ground tinder dry. “Weather conditions in Otago Lakes are still ripe (for fire), and it would be easy for a fast, rapid fire to develop,” FENZ Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says. “If people have fire permits they need to be aware those are currently suspended as we are in a prohibited fire season so checkitsalright before you light.”
Residents supply information and footage – Car thefts
Police say they’re grateful for help from residents in the Lake Hayes Estate-Shotover Country area after the theft of two cars and damage to two others during a late-night spree there on Saturday, 7 March, and Sunday, 8 March.
Police area response manager Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says they’ve received some information from residents in the area in response to a media plea last week for help and that’s appreciated.
“We are assessing that information, and the matter is still being actively investigated,” he says.
Wilkinson says he’s unable to comment on the progress of the investigation at this stage, but Police would still like to hear from anyone else with CCTV or dashcam footage, or information relating to the thefts and damage that night. (Report via 105 – file number - 260309/9008 as a reference.)
He’s urging people to keep their vehicles locked and remove any valuables from them overnight.
Roaring Meg accident
Two patients in a moderate condition were transported by road to Lakes District Hospital by St John Ambulance after an accident at Roaring Meg in the Kawarau Gorge at 1.45pm on Tuesday, 17 March. A St John spokesperson says two ambulances and two operations managers attended. No further details were available.
Rescue helicopter
Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre says a patient with a medical issue was also airlifted by the rescue helicopter from Young Hut in Mount Aspiring National Park at 11.40pm on Saturday night, 14 March.
