A man whose parked car was slammed into by another vehicle chased after the offender’s car after he failed to apply the handbrake, a witness says.
Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said police were waiting for the results of an impairment blood test from the 42-year-old male who was driving at the time.
However, he was still summonsed to appear in Dunedin District Court at a later date on a charge of careless driving.
A witness to the crash, who declined to be named, told the Otago Daily Times the man "was flying" up Stevenson’s Rd in Concord on Monday when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a car, a Holden Colorado, parked on the street.
The impact shunted the Colorado into the middle of the road, blocking both lanes, she said.
The owner of the car was not far away, and watched as the man then continued for a distance of "about two car lengths", and slammed into a power pole.
She said the man, who she thought appeared to be under the influence, then got out of his crashed car.
"His car then started rolling backwards, because he hadn't pulled the handbrake, into oncoming traffic," the woman said.
The owner of the Colorado then ran up the road to apply the handbrake.
"He was angry — he was definitely angry — but who wouldn't be?
"His truck had just been crashed into."
However, he never laid a hand on the 42-year-old man, she said.
"The guy was clearly on something, he was just out of it, they basically just kept him where he was until police arrived."
Sgt Lee said police arrested the man for careless driving, then transported him to Dunedin Hospital to have his minor injuries assessed.
"Understandably, the owner of the parked vehicle was angry about the incident and was aggressive at the scene towards the driver," he said.
