There were tears and hugs from the more than 40 people who came to show their support.
Mr Cribb (20) said he was at last able to hold his head up with pride, after police offered no evidence at yesterday's re-hearing on a charge of careless driving causing injury, following an accident in Earnscleugh Rd near Alexandra on July 14, 2005.
"It took just three minutes [today] to wipe away three years of injustice," Mr Cribb said.
His lawyer would seek reimbursement, "but how do you work out what it costs for three years of one person's life?".
In March 2006, Mr Cribb was found guilty by Judge StephenO'Driscoll of careless driving causing injury to Senior Constable Neil Robert Ford in Earnscleugh Rd on July 14, 2005.
Mr Cribb's vehicle had collided with an unmarked police Holden Rodeo twin-cab utility vehicle which was turning right into a driveway.
Mr Cribb was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $600, which was paid back to him after the re-hearing was granted.
In court yesterday, prosecutor Sergeant Tom Scoullar, of Dunedin, said police offered no evidence.
Judge O'Driscoll then dismissed the charge.
In making an application for costs, counsel Russell Checketts, of Alexandra, said the case had cost Mr Cribb's supporters more than $25,000.
He presented a memorandum to the court requesting reimbursement and asked for the matter to be heard by Judge O'Driscoll at his next Alexandra court date, on September 25.
Police have 21 days to respond.
Mr Cribb maintained his innocence throughout the case and claimed the police officer made a U-turn in front of him, causing him to crash.
Steve and Denise Potter, whose daughter was Mr Cribb's girlfriend at the time, led the fight to clear Mr Cribb's name.
Yesterday, Mrs Potter said the family was calling for a full police investigation.
"It has taken us two and a-half years since the first trial to get this back to court, which is unbelievable and unacceptable."
The family had provided two witnesses and two crash investigators.
"The evidence we have had is incredible," she said.
"It is over in terms of getting Shane off the charges, but it won't be over because no-one else is being charged," she said.
The judge made a decision on the basis of information presented to him which was incorrect, and someone had to be made accountable for that, she said.
Mr Potter said it was not about the money.
He was disappointed there was no recognition by police in court that a mistake had been made.
There had been a suggestion of an internal police investigation, "but when you see how they do their external ones, it doesn't give you much faith".
He had made five separate complaints about the case over the past couple of years.
"We're not trying to undermine the integrity of police by continuing the fight. We need the police in our community. It's about the justice system and how it operates."
Inspector Phil Jones, of Queenstown, confirmed yesterday police had received a complaint relating to the case and had referred it to the Independent Police Complaints Authority.
Outside court, Mr Potter publicly thanked everyone who had supported Mr Cribb throughout the lengthy proceedings.
"It's been a very long journey and we couldn't have done it without your support and encouragement.
"We can now put this behind us and Shane can get on with remoulding his life.
"This would have been too hard a battle to fight on our own and we needed the community support," he said.
Mr Cribb said he had lost his job as a result of the crash and it had been difficult living from day to day, waiting to see what would happen next.
"I couldn't go anywhere or make any plans while we were fighting the conviction, as I would have had to come backwards and forwards."
Originally from Hamilton, Mr Cribb moved to Alexandra to live with his father and stepmother.
He was now considering returning to the North Island.
Mr Cribb's first priority was to get a good night's sleep.
"I haven't slept well at all, and I had no sleep last night worrying about today," he said.
