Crimeline: Road rage attack
Aussie tourist attacked for turning wrong way into Arrowtown one-way
A 56-year-old Queenstown man allegedly punched a 50-year-old Australian tourist for accidentally turning the wrong way down one-way Buckingham Street in Arrowtown just after 7.45pm on Friday (25 July), kicking in his rental vehicle and hurling abuse.
Constable Amanda Shute says members of the public had to intervene after the rental vehicle made a U-turn turning the wrong way down the street prompting the alleged assault. The man allegedly threw several punches at one of the occupants of the vehicle hitting them in their head and eye, Shute says.
Just prior to that he allegedly kicked the vehicle causing minor damage to the passenger door, before yelling abuse at the occupants of the rental vehicle, she says. The man ran off when members of the public intervened and was located shortly after by Police and arrested.
The Queenstown man was charged with assault, behaving threateningly and wilful damage and is due to reappear in the Queenstown District Court on 22 September.
Frankton car fire treated as arson
Police are investigating an arson after a Mitsubishi Diamante was found on fire in Glenda Drive just after 11.30pm on Friday night (25 July). The vehicle was parked outside Remarkables Tools and Safety on the roadside, but somebody had largely put the fire out by the time Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteers arrived on the scene, Station Officer Karl Argyle says.
It appeared as though someone had used water from a nearby tap but there was nobody around when they arrived, Argyle says. The fire crew hosed out any warm spots with plenty of water to ensure the fire was fully out.
Police are now treating the fire, which left the car badly damaged, as suspicious and enquiries into the arson are continuing.
Fire and Emergency Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says the fire is being treated as suspicious and FENZ is working with the Police on the matter.
Alleged Aussie drink driver driving wrong way
A 37-year-old Australian driver allegedly blew 814mcgs, well over the legal 250mcg limit, after being observed driving the wrong way down one-way Earl Street in downtown Queenstown where he was stopped just after midnight on Sunday, 27 July.
The man was suspended from driving for 28 days due to the high reading and was charged and will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 15 August.
Police have charged five people for driving with excess breath alcohol levels throughout the area since Friday, 25 July, three of those in the 250 to 400mcg range.
“We continue to see a steady flow of people drink driving and placing themselves and other motorists at risk,” Otago Lakes Centre Area Road Policing Manager Steve Watt says. “We will continue to take an ‘any time anywhere’ approach and if you’re drink driving you will get caught.”
Serious patient airlifted – Frankton truck accident
A patient with serious injuries was transported by St John Ambulance to Lakes District Hospital before being airlifted to Dunedin Hospital by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter after an accident at Frankton on Monday morning (28 July). A St John spokesperson says the accident was believed to have involved a truck and a person and occurred just after 7.40am.
Joy rides
A white Land Rover stolen from a residential area in Arrowtown on the morning of 10 July has been recovered in Gore. A 45-year-old Invercargill man has been charged with burglary. A few days prior an expensive Porsche Taycan was stolen from Arrowtown and taken for a joyride south, later found abandoned in Dipton, Southland.
