Crimeline: Photographer kicked in the head
A Queenstown resident was kicked in the head by a stranger while taking photos of the sunrise on Kawarau Falls Bridge.
Police are also seeking a white man in his early 30s with a Latin American accent, after he allegedly snuck up behind the local resident at 7.30am on Sunday, 27 April, and assaulted him.
Constable Amanda Shute says the suspect had a beard and moustache, was wearing dark clothes, a blue or black backpack, dark beanie and black jacket.
After being struck from behind the victim turned around and saw his alleged attacker “standing in a fighting stance”.
The victim took to community social media, sharing a beautiful red sunrise over the bridge, entitling his post ‘Assault’ and warning others to “keep safe”.
“What kind of a coward sneaks up behind someone taking photos at 7.30 in the morning then delivers a roundhouse kick to the back of the head of a complete stranger,” his post says.
“This happened to me as I was taking this picture with my iPhone and tripod on the Kawarau Bridge this morning.
"I was totally shocked and yelled at the guy who was squaring off in what looked like a Capoeira stance. Resisting the instinct to attack in case he had a weapon, I yelled at him….“ He says the attacker mumbled a few incoherent words to which the photographer yelled again: “I’m just taking pictures, you idiot”.
The attacker then apologised profusely, turned and bolted back towards Frankton. A search by the stunned photographer in his car failed to locate him.
Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed this assault or has any information to assist Police in identifying the suspect. Please contact Police quoting file # 250427/2387.
Overseas man found seriously injured – still critical
Police are appealing for information after a 33-year-old man was found seriously injured, lying in a pool of blood, near the top of the steep Turner Street cul-de-sac, around 6am on Tuesday.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says the overseas man was rushed to Lakes District Hospital in a critical condition with serious head injuries and has since been transferred to Christchurch Hospital.
Wilkinson says Police are making “urgent enquiries” to determine how the man came to be injured, and their investigations were continuing yesterday. (30 April)
“It appears he was in the vicinity of Turner Street and Hallenstein Street in Queenstown from about 2am,” Wilkinson says. Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time who may have information to assist the investigation.
Anyone with information should call police on 105 and quote file number 250429/8686.
Public intervene after man set upon
Two men, aged 22 and 20, have been charged with assault with intent to injure after they both repeatedly punched and kicked a man in a Searle Lane bar.
Shute says the men approached the victim and began a verbal exchange at 1.30am on Saturday, 26 April. One of the men then punched the victim in the left side of his face, she says, the second man joining in and also punching the victim.
“They continued to punch and kick the victim until he fell to the ground and was hit a further two times before members of the public intervened,” she says.
Police located the two men shortly after and they’ll appear in the Queenstown District Court on 19 May.
Nude driving … on and off range
A man, understood to be in his 60s, literally got caught with his pants down at Morven Ferry, near Arrow Junction, last Thursday, 24 April. Police say they were called when the man was seen driving naked near the Arrow River. Shute says he’d also been seen hitting off golf balls without any pants on. Police spoke to him and asked him to put his clothes back on, which he did. While his actions weren’t illegal, he was strongly advised that it was appropriate to wear pants in a public area, Shute says.
Motorbike crash
Two people were taken to Lakes District Hospital by St John Ambulance after a motorcycle accident at Kawarau Falls near the Peninsula Road-Kelvin Heights turnoff on the Queenstown to Kingston highway just after 11.15am on Saturday, 26 April. A St John spokesperson says two ambulances attended and the patients – one with moderate injuries and the other minor, were taken to Lakes District Hospital.
Drink driving stops
A 27-year-old local man was arrested for driving while disqualified, for at least the third time, when he was stopped at a Fernhill Road checkpoint, 9.15am on Sunday, 27 April. His vehicle was impounded and he will appear in court. A 21-year-old Canterbury man is also on his way to court after allegedly veering into the cycle lane and changing speeds on Frankton Road. When stopped by the cops 1.12am, Thursday, 24 April, he allegedly blew 710mcg, almost three times the breath alcohol limit.
Another driver, a 22-year-old local man, tried to pull a fast one, the cops say, by switching into the passenger seat when police approached his car in Henry Street, 12.50am, Saturday, 26 April. He allegedly blew 567mcg and has a court date. And a 29-year-old Argentinian man was also caught drink driving on Frankton Road, 4.48am, Sunday, 27 April. He blew 569mcg and has already pleaded guilty in Invercargill District Court, being disqualified for six months and fined $500.
