Crimeline: shoplifting, motorcycle crashes and a heli rescue
Serious motorcycle crashes – Crown Range and Glenorchy Road
A Southland man in his 70s was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries after a motorcycle crash on the Queenstown to Glenorchy Road, near Mount Crichton, just after 2pm on Saturday, 21 February, Police say.
Constable Amanda Shute says the man was in a serious condition after the single-vehicle crash and Police investigations were ongoing.
The man was flown to Dunedin by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter, and the road was blocked in both directions for some time with motorists asked to avoid the area.
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman says an ambulance was also sent to the scene.
A Wanaka man in his 30s was also seriously injured after a motorcycle crash on the Crown Range Road, just south of Cardrona, at 8.20am on Tuesday, 24 February. A St John Ambulance spokesperson says the man was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter. An ambulance and rapid response vehicle also attended.
Police say investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.
Shoplifting at Night ‘n Day
A 41-year-old man has been charged with two counts of shoplifting under $500 after allegedly being caught shoplifting at Night ‘n Day in Queenstown on two separate occasions. Shute says the man was arrested at 9.30am last Wednesday, 18 February. He will appear in the Christchurch District Court on 4 March.
Drink driving
A 22-year-old Spanish man has been disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay a $600 fine after returning a result of 600mcg when stopped by Police on Brecon Street just before 1am on Thursday, 19 February.
Shute says the man pleaded guilty in the Queenstown District Court on Monday, 23 February.
Heli Rescues
The Rescue Helicopter also picked up a patient from the Lower Nevis after a crash there just after 5.15pm on Friday, 20 February. A St John spokesperson says the patient was transported to Lakes District Hospital and no details were available as to their condition. Then on Tuesday they flew a patient to Lakes District Hospital in a minor condition after an accident in the Nevis area.
A patient was also picked up by helicopter from the Greenstone Valley after an accident just after 9.30am yesterday (25 February). No condition was available.
Fire risk increasing with drier conditions
Fire and Emergency NZ staff say the fire risk is “steadily increasing” in the Wakatipu with the consistently warmest and sunniest week this summer last week and people need to be mindful that they will be encountering some much drier conditions. “The fire danger is steadily increasing,” Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says.
Normally the Wakatipu would have been in a ‘prohibited’ fire season during summer, as is Central Otago currently, but this year’s wetter, cooler conditions mean the Wakatipu has remained in a ‘restricted’ season, he says. “Normally the fire risk starts to lessen off about now but if it keeps this dry through March, we will be looking to restrict fires.”
