Crimeline: Havoc on Hawthorne
A 44-year-old Queenstown driver was treated by paramedics and taken to Lakes District Hospital with head injuries after allegedly smashing into a lamppost in his vehicle, knocking it out of the ground, carrying on to hit a roadside pedestrian barrier and coming to rest up on the grass berm, just before 9am on Saturday.
The accident, at the Purple Ash Avenue intersection with Hawthorne Drive, caused extensive damage and Police enquiries are continuing while they await the results of a blood alcohol test taken at the time, Haggart says.
To add to the trouble in Hawthorne Drive this past week, Police are also awaiting a blood alcohol result after a 39-year-old Queenstown male crashed his vehicle into a store window near Ramada Hotel at Remarkables Park at 9pm on Friday, 28 March. He’s been charged with driving in a dangerous manner and appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday, remanded on bail to reappear on 9 May.
An intoxicated 28-year-old Auckland man, who was sleeping on the roadside in Frankton’s Hawthorne Drive, just after 2pm on Tuesday, 1 April, was spoken to and arrested for historic fraud. Sergeant Tracy Haggart says he will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 7 April.
Motorcyclist injured – Driver charged
A 61-year-old Queenstown man has been charged with careless driving causing injury after alleged turning his vehicle in front of a 36-year-old Queenstown male motorcyclist causing him to fall off his bike and suffer a broken ankle and foot injury. The accident happened as the 61-year-old driver was turning his vehicle off Hensman Road into Highview Terrace shortly before 3pm on Saturday, 29 March. He appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday and has been remanded on bail to reappear on 9 May.
Drug utensils found – Warrant for alleged petrol thief
A 49-year-old Nelson man was located on Frankton Beach, just before 2pm on Sunday, 30 March, where he was found with drug utensils in his vehicle, including a pipe, and arrested on a warrant to arrest for a number of petrol thefts in the Nelson and Christchurch areas. Haggart says the man appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday and has been remanded in custody to reappear in the Nelson District Court on 15 April.
A couple of cowboys
Police are looking for two men, possibly in their early 20s, who were unlawfully in a building, observed on CCTV footage to have entered the Queenstown Event Centre at 11.30pm on Saturday, 29 March. Haggart says one of the males was wearing a cowboy hat and black top, both of them in dark coloured clothing. They appeared to have entered through an insecure door and were likely disturbed by cleaners and departed, she says.
Rear window smashed
A vehicle parked in McBride Street was damaged after the rear window completely smashed sometime between 28 and 30 March. Haggart says it was unknown if entry had been gained.
Checkpoints net drink drivers
Police checkpoints netted four drink drivers in Queenstown and Arrowtown on Friday, 28 March – the highest, a 26-year-old Queenstown male allegedly clocked at 760mcg on Jack Hanley Drive just after 10pm. He will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 7 April.
Road Policing Sergeant Dylan Hannah-Jones is urging people who are going out for after work drinks to plan their trip home and leave their car behind. “It is never worth the risk, so if you’re ever in doubt about driving after a few drinks, just don’t,” Hannah-Jones says. “Police will be out there breath testing, any time and anywhere.”
Others included:
34-year-old Queenstown male, 578mcg, 9.08pm, Jack Hanley Drive. Appears Queenstown District Court – 9 May.
29-year-old Arrowtown male – 364mcg, 6pm, Stafford Street, Arrowtown. Infringement notice issued.
39-year-old Queenstown male – 344mcg, 10.45pm, Jack Hanley Drive. Infringement notice issued.
An alleged drink driver was also picked up in Beach Street, clocking 538mcg just before 2am on Saturday, 29 March. Appears Queenstown District Court 7 April.
A patient suffering from minor injuries was airlifted to Lakes District Hospital by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter and also attended to by a St John Ambulance after an accident at Gibbston just after 1pm on Sunday, 30 March. On Monday the rescue helicopter airlifted another patient – condition unknown, to Lakes District Hospital after an accident on Priory Road, Glenorchy, just after 11am.
