Crimeline
Drug use and high levels of intoxication downtown
Senior Sergeant Tracy Haggart says Police were dealing with some high levels of intoxication in the CBD last week while the event was on, while bar managers reported high levels of drug intoxication with the huge crowds in town.
“There were high volumes of people in the CBD due to the event,” Haggart says. Some 8000 people packed into the Snow Machine venue at Remarkables Park where Police also maintained a strong presence.
A 20-year-old Dunedin man allegedly assaulted a 34-year-old Queenstown male, known to him, grabbing him by the shoulder in Queenstown Mall on Sunday, 8 September, just after 1am.
There was a verbal exchange, then Haggart says the man allegedly pushed the victim in the chest and spat in his face, then punched him in the face. The Dunedin man will face a charge of assault in the Queenstown District Court on 12 October.
A group of males were also fighting in Queenstown Mall at 2.15am on Thursday, 5 September, but had dispersed by the time Police arrived. They found one male nearby with a bleeding nose, but the others weren’t located.
Threat to kill
A 46-year-old Invercargill man was arrested just before 2pm on Tuesday, 10 September, for an alleged June assault and threatening to kill a 65-year-old Queenstown man.
He was also unlawfully in a house, on the same day. All offences occurred in Queenstown and Haggart says the pair are known to each other. The Invercargill man will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 16 September.
Two drivers, both four times the limit
Police were disappointed at clocking some very high levels while stopping drink drivers during the past week.
A 38-year-old Queenstown man was stopped twice in two days, allegedly clocking extremely high breath alcohol levels, one more than four times the legal limit.
He was first stopped at Lake Hayes at 4.22pm on Monday, 9 September, allegedly blowing a level of 1492mcgs, then stopped by Police again on Tuesday, at 4.30pm, allegedly clocking 1716mcgs – four times the legal limit (400mcgs).
His licence had been suspended on the first occasion. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 23 September where he will face two charges of driving with an excess breath alcohol level, one while his licence was suspended.
A 31-year-old Queenstown man was also breathalysed at an alleged 1120mcgs, on Eleventh Avenue, Lake Hayes, at 4.30pm, on Tuesday, September 10.
The man, who told Police he was “driving to the shop to get food and thought he’d be okay” will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 4 October.
And a 47-year-old Queenstown man also blew 794mcgs at 4.11pm on Gorge Road on Friday, 6 September. Haggart says he was convicted in the Queenstown District Court on 9 September, fined $800 and disqualified from driving for six months.
A 38-year-old Cromwell man, who was doing burnouts at the Frankton Road-Stanley Street intersection at 7.50pm on Friday, 6 September, was arrested and charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol level, third or subsequent, of 474mcgs.
"He operated the vehicle causing sustained loss of traction," Haggart says. The driver will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 7 October.
Meanwhile, a 62-year-old Whakatane man was issued with an infringement notice for failing to stop at a stop sign in Berkshire Street, Arrowtown, colliding with a young moped rider.
The 16-year-old Queenstown male rider received knee injuries and concussion in the crash which occurred at 1.40pm on 5 September.
Following on from last week's car thefts, a trailer has now been stolen from an Arrowtown-Lake Hayes Road property, between 5.30pm on Sunday, 8 September, and 7am, 9 September.
Other drink driving matters:
5/09/2024 at 4.20pm, Remarkables Skifield Access Rd, 23-year-old Australian male. Driving with excess breath alcohol level, 367mcg. Infringement notice (over 250 but under 400)
6/09/2024 at 4.20pm, Gorge Rd, 51-year-old, Queenstown male. Drove with excess breath alcohol level, 373mcg. Infringement notice (over 250 but under 400)
6/09/2024 at 4.53pm, Gorge Rd, 28-year-old, Queenstown female. Drove with zero alcohol licence when breath contained alcohol, 106mcg. Court - 4/10/2024
05/09/2024 03.11pm, Camp Street, 27-year-old Queenstown male. Drove with excess breath alcohol level, 513mcg. Court - 23/09/2024
