Crimeline: Drugs and weapon arrest
MDMA, cannabis, meth utensils and offensive weapon found in vehicle
Two Central Otago men were arrested after Police found MDMA, cannabis, drug utensils and a knuckleduster during a search of a 31-year-old man stopped on Frankton Road for a routine drink driving check at 12.30am on 5 June.
Constable Amanda Shute says the man failed a breath screening test and was given an evidential breath test, before Police searched him, finding a bag on him containing drug utensils and a knuckleduster.
A search of the vehicle and its two passengers found 12.26 grams of MDMA, 391 grams of cannabis and cash.
Two of the men were arrested and charged – the 31-year-old driver with possessing an offensive weapon, possessing utensils – methamphetamine and amphetamine, and driving with an excess blood alcohol content.
A 34-year-old Central Otago man was also charged with possessing ecstasy and cannabis for supply, obstructing and hindering Police, and failing to carry out obligations in relation to computer search.
Church Street assault – Witnesses sought
Police would like any information or witnesses to a 3.25am Church Street assault yesterday morning (Wednesday, 11 June) involving three men, one a 34-year-old Hawkes Bay man who’s been arrested.
Constable Amanda Shute says that man has been charged with fighting in a public place and failing/refusing to supply his particulars to Police. Once arrested Shute says he has allegedly provided false details and refused to give Police his address.
He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on Monday, 16 June, but Police would still like to identify the other two men. “If you can help, please come forward,” she says.
The alleged offender had approached two unknown men with his fists clenched and arms out to his side. “One of the men allegedly punched the offender in the neck and they began wrestling on the footpath.”
The other man became involved, and the offender allegedly swung at him twice, Shute says. The three began wrestling and fell to the floor. The alleged offender was located nearby on Camp Street.
Firefighters in danger. Drivers speeding through accident sites
Inconsiderate drivers are speeding through accident scenes putting the lives of Fire Brigade volunteers and other emergency services attending at risk prompting Fire and Emergency New Zealand to plea with drivers to slow down and obey instructions.
Fire and Emergency Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says this frequently happens in the Queenstown Lakes Central Otago area, the latest case just several days ago on Monday morning. (9 June)
Local firefighters were assisting after a car had hit ice on a blind corner coming into Wilson’s Bay on the Queenstown side of the Glenorchy Queenstown highway.
“It was really slippery, and the car was blocking one lane,” he says. He was in attendance with Police managing traffic and other drivers were speeding through what was a 35km/hr corner. “It’s a 100km/hr road but the accident was approaching an 80km/hr zone, and five or six drivers
did not slow down and heed the speed restrictions and instructions,” he says. Anyone approaching an accident scene should be slowing down to 20km/hr but many just continued on at the normal speed for the road.
FENZ is running a big campaign to raise awareness in what is a very relevant problem for Otago and Southland, he says. “We’ve had 55 recorded entries of this during the last year and there will be hundreds more that weren’t recorded,” he says.
“Please slow down and be patient.”
With winter upon us and the icy conditions it’s extremely important that people slow down. “It pretty much happens at every motor vehicle accident we attend. Every time you see a fire tuck at a road crash there will be speeding drivers,” McQuillan says. “It’s that bad that we’re now concerned for our fire crews’ safety.” Even those who slow down then try to drive around the accident into the oncoming lane.
“Quite often we’re processing people at the scene, and it puts the lives of our volunteers at risk.”
“Obey instructions given on site,” he says.
About three cars have slid off local roads in ice in the past week or two and McQuillan’s urging drivers to be very weary of black ice heading into shady patches or road, with Malaghans Road, Glenorchy Road both notorious for black ice in places.
“Drive to the conditions and if in doubt slow down.”
Drink driving
An alleged drink driver sort of did the right thing but in the wrong place when he parked his vehicle across a McBride Street driveway, left the engine running and went to sleep. Shute says
Police were called just before 3am on Friday, 6 June, by a member of the public reporting the vehicle parked across a residential driveway and the driver asleep at the wheel. The 40-year-old man from Christchurch living locally was breath tested, returning a result over 400mcg, but elected a blood test.
A 35-year-old local woman clocked 672mcg and was charged with drink driving after Police responded to a driving complaint in relation to a vehicle speeding and driving all over Frankton Road at 3.45am on Sunday. The woman has been charged and had her licence suspended for 28 days.
Call still out for assault victim
Police are still trying to locate a man who was punched in a seemingly unprovoked assault at the taxi rank near Searle Lane and Camp Street on 25 May at 2.40am.
They put out an appeal to help find the victim who was looking down at his hone and walking in the direction of the Cookie Time shop when he was punched by one of three men, who’d left a Searle Lane bar, Police say. They would still like to hear from anyone who can help locate him. He had a black beard, was wearing a black Puffa jacket, blue jeans, white shoes and a black beanie.
Anyone with information that may assist should contact Police online at 105,police.govt.nz, clicking ‘Update Report’, or call 105.
