Crimeline: Road holiday blitz
School holiday road blitz
Road Policing – Acting Senior Sergeant Dylan Hannah-Jones says drivers can expect a strong focus on road policing, especially during the school holidays.
“There will be a lot of people on our roads, including overseas visitors, with Australian school holidays also happening so expect increased visitors and people on the roads,” he says.
The Queenstown Lakes IPT (Impairment Prevention Team) is a dedicated Policing resource led by Hannah-Jones and deployed all around the district.
IPT officers carried out 133 breath tests on Lake Avenue, Frankton, between 5.15pm and 6.20pm on 13 April, producing three positive evidential breath tests, he says.
Infringement notices for driving with an excess breath alcohol level over 250mcgs but not more than 400 mcgs were issued to:
A 29-year-old Queenstown male – 299mcgs; a 33-year-old Queenstown male - 400mcgs; a 60-year-old Queenstown male - 324mcgs.
An 18-year-old Te Anau male was stopped on Frankton Road at 11pm on 10 April and issued with an infringement notice for a person under 20 driving with a breath alcohol level 150mcgs or less, after allegedly blowing 64mcgs.
Hannah-Jones says they’d love to test 5000 people in a night and charge nobody.
“The people who come through our checkpoints are your mums, dads, kids, grandparents, your builder, plumber, firefighter, mechanic, teacher and you,” he says.
“It isn’t worth the personal risk or the risk to yourself or the people close to you to roll the dice by driving home when you’ve had a few. There are always other choices. You’re never too far away from home so walk, call a cab, organise a sober driver or stay with a friend.
“Police will be here day and night to keep you and your family safe on the road so do your bit by making good decisions before getting behind the wheel.”
Motorists should expect to see Police patrols anytime, anywhere.
“Our staff will be out on roads, often in locations you least expect us to be. So please take your time and drive to the conditions.” Police will be focused on RIDS (Restraints, Impairment, Distractions, Speed).
With longer darkness hours Police are also urging drivers to be aware of cyclists and pedestrians when driving to and from work.
Four times the limit
Other drink drive cases include a 43-year-old Queenstown man, who has been charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol level third or subsequent offence, after he allegedly blew 1088mcgs at a Frankton Road checkpoint at 9.22pm on 14 April. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 3 May. The legal limit is 250mcg.
A 37-year-old Queenstown man, allegedly observed crossing lanes and driving at erratic speeds on Hawthorne Drive and Riverside Road, has been charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol level over 400mcgs - 882mcgs, on 13 April and also appears in court on 3 May.
A Winton man, 23, allegedly blew 783mcgs on Kingston Road just before 11pm on 12 April. He’s been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol, threatening behaviour and possessing an offensive weapon. He appeared in the Queenstown District Court on 13 April and was released on bail to reappear on 20 May.
Police also arrested and charged a 34-year-old Queenstown woman with six shoplifting charges from local supermarkets between 31 January and 1 April on 11 April. She will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 3 May.
Who’s got the kids?
With the school holidays now in force, Police have been dealing with an increase in complaints about young people being out at night unsupervised in the Lakes Hayes Estate and Shotover Country areas.
Youth Aid Officer Senior Constable Wayne Park is urging parents to ensure they know where their children are and who they’re with. “Check up on your children to ensure they are where they say they’re going to be and that there’s suitable parental supervision,” Park says.
It’s been a problem in those areas recently but now with the holidays underway Sergeant Tracy Haggart says young teens have been congregating on the reserve or down by the river, meeting in common areas, drinking alcohol and throwing bottles about.
“You need to know where your kids are. Ask if there’s a suitable adult present, if they’re supervised, and ensure there’s no opportunity for them to sneak out and have a few drinks,” she says. “Ask those questions and maybe do some random checks.”
“It’s not uncommon to have sleepovers where young people are sneaking out of the house well after midnight and walking the streets causing damage to public and private property,” Park says. They then return home before the host parents are aware that they’re absent.
