It’s show week and there will be a large police presence out on the road, walking through the showgrounds, and visiting bars throughout the weekend, Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts says.

“With show weekend and large volumes of traffic on the network, you will see a highly visible road policing presence on our rural and urban network,” Fi said.

She advised people to be patient on the roads, and ensure there is a sober and responsible driver. She also advised people to lock their valuables out of sight if they have their vehicle at the show: “Thieves search vehicles for valuable property left in a vehicle. Thieves use a range of techniques, but most offending is opportunistic: you can minimise their opportunities.” 

Emergency services responded to reports of a high velocity motor vehicle accident involving two cars (one of which was towing a boat) on the Lindis Pass on Friday (March 28). 

Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, a helicopter and St John ambulance were deployed to the scene. 

“It’s a common hot spot for vehicle accidents with dangerous driving often part of the mix,” Fi said.

“What makes it particularly challenging is that there is limited cell phone coverage up there for first responders to be able to connect to emergency services.” 

The road was closed for a couple of hours while the scene was managed, and one of the vehicle occupants sustained a broken leg and was airlifted to Dunedin. 

“In my view, this incident could have been much worse; the safety features of both vehicles were no doubt a reason why there were not more serious injuries,” Fi said.

The matter is under investigation.

In the early hours of Sunday (March 2) a 55-year-old male was stopped on Lake Hāwea– Albert Town Road, and an excess breath/blood alcohol (EBA) procedure returned a result of 1,474 - an “incredibly high and dangerous reading,” Fi said. 

“He will be appearing in Queenstown District Court to face a range of additional charges including driving while disqualified and driving recklessly.”

Fi said driving complaints continue to be a significant issue across the area. 

“There is no excuse for speeding anytime. Excessive speed, including travelling too fast for the conditions is a contributing factor in most crashes resulting in serious injury or death. We have had too many fatal crashes in our area in recent times. I make no apology that if we detect and stop drivers for excessive speeds, we will issue tickets.”

If people are stopped by police they will be breath tested, she added.

Online fraud related scams on Facebook marketplace, via emails, banking scams, and via One NZ and WhatsApp are ongoing, Fi said.

“If you think you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam or fraud, please report the circumstances online or call 105,” she said. “Providing as much information as possible helps us in processing your report, this could include any relevant evidence and documents available e.g. bank statements, emails, texts, social media accounts.”

Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.

Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.

Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.

To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.

PHOTO: Wānaka App