Crimeline - Captain America's endgame
Not even Captain America can evade the Queenstown Police and the public who were quick to respond to a Police Facebook appeal on Monday (11 November), resulting in two arrests after a serious assault in Camp Street.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says a local man was allegedly punched to the ground and suffered concussion in a serious assault after fighting broke out among a number of people outside the Night ‘n’ Day Dairy at 2.30am on Sunday, 3 November.
Police are grateful to all those who responded after they called for information through Crimeline, and then posted images from CCTV footage on Facebook on Monday which circulated in the media. One of the images showed a young male wearing a Captain America costume and a female in a onesie costume, the other a young man dressed as Wally from 'Where's Wally?'.
The post has since been removed but Wilkinson says thanks to those who responded a 25-year-old local man and 24-year-old local woman have been arrested and charged with assault. They will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 18 November.
In another violent offence, Police arrested a 29-year-old local man who’s been charged with threatening to kill and assault after an alleged drunken rampage at 2am on Sunday, 10 November. Constable Amanda Shute says the intoxicated offender allegedly grabbed the victim’s head and drove it into a bunk bed at a workplace staff accommodation, causing damage to a tooth. He then allegedly threatened to kill the victim if he spoke to Police.
Drink driving
Police are also concerned to have arrested a drunk driver downtown near Athol Street who allegedly blew an astonishing breath alcohol level of 1359mcg – well over five times the legal limit. Police were called by a member of the public who suspected the driver had been drinking just before 9pm on Sunday, 10 November.
The 51-year-old local male driver was breath tested, suspended from driving and charged. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 6 November.
Otago Lakes Central area road policing manager Senior Sergeant Steve Watt says it’s disappointing that the message is not getting out about these high levels that severely impact other road users and highly increase the risk of death and serious injury.
A 32-year-old Queenstown man was stopped on Frankton Road, 9.53pm, 9 November, and blew 787mcg. He was suspended from driving for 28 days and summonsed to appear in Queenstown District Court on 6 November.
A 19-year-old Central Otago man was also stopped on Frankton Road, at 1.32am the next morning, 10 November. He blew 524mcg and summonsed to appear Queenstown District Court, also on 6 November.
Emergency services busy
Miraculously, nobody was injured after a vehicle crossed the centreline and hit an oncoming vehicle near the southern end of the Lower Shotover Bridge during peak hour at 5.09pm on Monday, 11 November. Shute says both vehicles were damaged, and the crash caused significant traffic delays due to the timing and location, with so many people heading home from work.
A mountain biker was airlifted by Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter from the Skippers Road to Lakes District Hospital in a moderate to serious condition after an accident around 1.15pm on Sunday, 10 November. A St John media spokesperson says the incident was believed to have “involved biking”. Police were also notified at 3.25pm but no further details were available.
St John also responded with the rescue helicopter to an incident in the Greenstone Valley just before 8pm on Tuesday, 12 November, with one patient transported to Lakes District Hospital in a minor condition. Police were also notified.
