Crimeline: Vehicle crashes into café patrons, hotel doors
Vehicle crashes into café patrons, hotel doors
Two people were taken to Lakes District Hospital after a vehicle crashed into two patrons dining at Frank’s, smashing into the front glass doors of the Ramada Hotel in Frankton at 11.40am on Saturday, 24 October.
Constable Amanda Shute says two people were taken to hospital, and the cause of the crash is still being investigated.
A St John Ambulance spokesperson says their ambulance crews treated and transported two people to hospital – one in a moderate condition and one in a minor condition. “Our ambulance crew also assessed two people in a minor condition at the scene.”
Fenz urges caution after multiple major blazes
With volunteer firefighting resources under pressure as they tended to multiple major blazes around the region in recent weeks, Fire and Emergency NZ bosses are asking people to be mindful and take all the right precautions.
Fire and Emergency assistant commander Nic McQuillan says the size of the fires brigades have been attending, even though it’s spring, have been large. “These have been big fires and they’re taking a lot of resources and big volumes of time,” he says. “We’re asking that people be aware, especially with strong winds blowing as with the recent Walter Peak fire that ignited one week later. If fires aren’t properly put out and extinguished they can rekindle.
“We’re in the season of high winds which makes it very challenging for firefighters.” He’s asking people to make sure all embers are completely out, that they have sufficient water and something to extinguish the fire. It took three days of firefighting with about 21 or 22 fire appliances in attendance after 100m of pine trees caught fire near Roxburgh at Labour Weekend with rural brigades from around Central Otago, as well as Dunedin firefighters all fighting that blaze. That took three days of firefighting and is still under investigation. Six houses had to be evacuated. Another large fire was burning at Centre Hill, Mossburn, at the weekend with multiple fire crews and trucks at work for some days.
Tramper rescued
A tramper was rescued from northern Fiordland by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter after activating their distress beacon at about 4.20pm on Saturday, 24 October. A spokesperson for Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre says the helicopter located and uplifted the injured tramper and transported them to Southland Hospital for treatment. “The
rescue highlights the importance of carrying a registered distress beacon when heading into remote areas,” he says. “The beacon quickly alerted our search and rescue officers, ensuring we could get them the help they needed.”
Vehicle flips on Glenorchy Road
A driver was taken to Lakes District Hospital after a vehicle allegedly hit a 100km/hr signpost causing it to hit a bank and flip on the Glenorchy Road, just before midnight on Friday, 23 October, Constable Shute says. The driver allegedly swerved to the right side of the road, hitting the sign, the bank and then flipping, coming to rest on its roof in the opposite lane, she says.
Police investigations into the single vehicle crash were ongoing.
Drink driving
- Third or subsequent charge
A 36-year-old local man has been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol, third or subsequent, after allegedly blowing 708mcg in Frankton at 6.12pm on Thursday, 22 October. Police had been called after being notified of a driving complaint on Joe O’Connell Drive. The man will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 2 November.
A 32-year-old local man was issued with infringement notices for alleged speed and driving with a breath alcohol level exceeding 250mcg but not more than 400mcg on Saturday, 24 October. The vehicle was stopped at 1.20am after allegedly travelling at 74km/hr in a 50km/hr zone on Frankton Road.
