Youth in high-speed run from police

South Canterbury police were kept on their toes during a weekend of stupid behaviour that included a high-speed car chase on State Highway 1.

Two days of general drunkenness and disorder also saw a higher-than-usual occurrence of drink driving, theft and disorderly conduct.

A 16-year-old youth led police on a car chase after officers identified a stolen vehicle shortly after 1am in Temuka on Saturday.

Four police vehicles followed the 16-year-old and his 13-year-old passenger at speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour along SH1 before stopping the vehicle at an Andrew St address.

The driver was charged with drink driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop, unlawful possession of a firearm and theft.

Shortly afterwards, police were called to Tyne St after three youths were reportedly jumping and urinating on the bonnet of a car.

A 17-year-old youth was arrested for disorderly behaviour.

Police stopped a 28-year-old man for drink driving, driving while forbidden and possession of utensils late on Friday.

Ten rose plants were reported stolen from a Timaru wholesaler and fishing gear was taken from a car parked in Rothwell St.

On Saturday at 10am, police stopped a 31-year-old Timaru woman in Luxmoore Rd for drink driving. She blew 1049 micrograms per litre of breath.

A 21-year-old Timaru man blew even more – 1088mcg – when he was stopped shortly after 2pm in Selwyn St.

Three youths were stopped by a vehicle in Wilson St at 8.45pm on Saturday and the occupants of the vehicle demanded a quantity of alcohol.

The vehicle was later stopped at a checkpoint on Church St where the driver was processed for EBA (488mcg), possession of cannabis and theft. Three Timaru men face charges relating to the incident.

Police received reports of another incident in Wilson St later on Saturday when a vehicle allegedly left the scene of a head-on collision.

A vehicle was travelling along Wilson St when it was hit by an oncoming vehicle which left the scene. No injuries were reported.

In another drink-drive incident, a police officer was visiting a Chaucer St address on an unrelated matter when a man arrived home with his two children in a vehicle.

He had allegedly travelled from Albury via Cave with his two children in the vehicle before blowing 682mcg at the Chaucer St address.

In other incidents, native flora was damaged in a suspected arson at the intersection of Blair St and Hilton Highway later on Saturday night.

The windscreen of a car parked in Somerset St was smashed while an 18-year-old Waimate woman faces disorderly behaviour charges after an incident at Timaru Hospital.

Three windows were reported smashed at the Theatre Royal overnight on Saturday and a car broken into on Guthrie St.

A 17-year-old Timaru youth faces careless driving charges after police stopped a vehicle in the skatepark at Caroline Bay yesterday afternoon.

Sergeant Greg Sutherland said police were particularly concerned at the number of drink-driving incidents during the weekend and commended a couple of people for reporting incidents to the police.

He reminded the public to call *555 if they witnessed bad driving.

- © Fairfax NZ News