Crimeline: Spate of accidents concerning - Take care out there
Spate of accidents concerning - Take care out there
Emergency services are warning motorists to take extra care heading into the season of “frosty mornings and slippery roads” after a concerning number of traffic crashes around the Wakatipu recently before winter even arrives.
FENZ Otago Lakes group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says fire crews have been called out to an unusually large number of accidents in what is normally a quieter period for the district. “Driver awareness seems to be low based on the number of accidents we’re seeing,” he says. People need to check and pay attention while driving.
Serious injuries
A person was flown to Dunedin Hospital in a serious condition after a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of the Arrowtown to Gibbston highway and McDonnell Road, near Arrowtown, just before 1pm on Sunday, 3 May. A St John Ambulance spokesperson says an ambulance, first response unit and the air rescue helicopter all attended and St John treated the serious patient at the scene before airlifting them to Dunedin.
Car careers into streetlight pole
Frankton volunteer firefighters attended a crash at the Five Mile roundabout at Frankton after a vehicle careered into a streetlight pole just after 5.15pm on Saturday, slowing traffic and requiring the power company to temporarily cut power for safety reasons, Frankton Brigade officer in charge Paul Halsted says. The streetlight pole was compromised, ending up on a lean, and the streetlight knocked off, so firefighters called the power company in due to a potential electrical hazard. The Queenstown brigade also turned out to the crash but left shortly after arrival with Frankton managing the scene.
The vehicle was badly damaged and thankfully nobody was injured but a St John Ambulance crew assessed one uninjured person at the scene.
At least another four accidents occurred locally within the past week with Police echoing the calls for drivers to beware and pay attention.
Nose-to-tail
Constable Amanda Shute says they were called to a two-vehicle, nose-to-tail crash on the Frankton Ladies Mile highway just after 11pm on Tuesday, 5 May, involving an alleged drink driver. One of the drivers allegedly failed to see roadworks ahead of them and didn’t have sufficient time to react to the vehicle in front that was stopping suddenly, Shute says. That driver allegedly blew 842mcg, she says. A 19-year-old Central Otago man has been charged with operating a vehicle carelessly and driving with a breath alcohol level over 400mcg. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 22 May. Nobody was injured.
Doing a runner
A 36-year-old local man has also been charged after Police received multiple complaints about a vehicle driving dangerously on the Kingston Road at Drift Bay just before 6pm on Sunday, 3 May, the driver allegedly fleeing them when they tried to stop the vehicle. Soon after, a member of the public reported a vehicle crashing into a stone wall, Shute says. The alleged driver was located shortly after, allegedly blowing 795mcg. The man has been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol, third or subsequent, failing to stop for flashing red-blue lights and two counts of driving in a dangerous manner. He appears in court on 2 June.
Rolled truck blocks state highway
Traffic had to be diverted for some time after a large truck rolled blocking the Tarras-Cromwell highway, near the Lindis River Bridge in Central Otago, just after 1.40am on Saturday, 2 May. Police say investigations are ongoing. The road was closed until around midday on Saturday, road users advised to avoid the area or delay their journeys, if possible.
Vehicle rolls at Paradise – Fluids in creek
A vehicle rolled on the Glenorchy-Paradise Road just after 10am on Friday, 1 May, but thankfully nobody was injured. A FENZ spokesperson says fluids had spilled into a nearby creek so Glenorchy fire crew members, who attended the crash, notified the district council.
Driver caught napping at lights
A member of the public called Police when they spotted a 20-something Queenstown male driver allegedly asleep in his vehicle at the Sydney Street traffic lights on Saturday. Shute says the driver allegedly blew 689mcg and will appear in court on 22 May.
Other drink driving:
A Canterbury man in his 50s allegedly blew 881mcg on Malaghans Road and a Waitaki woman in her 20s allegedly blew 535mcg on Frankton-Ladies Mile highway, also both on Saturday. They appear in court on 22 May.
On Friday, 1 May, a local man in his 50s allegedly blew 574mcg on Frankton Road. He appears in court on 18 May.
Arthur’s Point fall
A person was taken to Lakes District Hospital by rescue helicopter after suffering minor injuries in a fall at Atley Road, Arthur’s Point, just after 11am on Tuesday, 5 May, a St John Ambulance spokesperson says.
