Five young people escaped injury when the car they were in crashed into a light standard in Oamaru on Thursday night after a police pursuit.
Sergeant Blair Wilkinson, of Oamaru, said the crash happened at the intersection of Perth and Towey Sts shortly after police called off the chase, which began at 10pm in the South Hill area when the driver of the car allegedly failed to stop for police.
The 19-year-old male driver was arrested and will appear in the Oamaru District Court later this month on drink-driving, failing to stop and reckless driving charges.
Of the four other people in the car, all from Oamaru, two men (aged 20) and one woman (17) fled the scene, but were later caught and charged with unlawfully being on a property near the crash scene.
They were later given pre-charge warnings and released.
Sgt Wilkinson said the driver of the vehicle put other road users at risk and that was why the police called off the pursuit.
Police were unable yesterday to say what speeds the pursuit reached and what distance was covered.
