Man charged after Police vehicle damaged

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker, Area Manager - Response, Canterbury Rural South:

A man is before the courts after an incident at Castlehill, south of Arthur's Pass, earlier this year where a Police car was rammed.

The incident happened on Sunday 5 May, 2024. About 5pm Police were advised a stolen vehicle had been seen in the Castlehill area.

Police located it at the Castlehill carpark but as officers attempted to block it in, the vehicle reversed into a marked Police four-wheel-drive twice. Thankfully, nobody was injured, and the vehicle wasn't badly damaged.

The vehicle drove off and was last seen on Old West Coast Road.

Following extensive enquiries, Police have this week filed charges against a 31-year-old Woolston man.

He has been charged with two counts of failing to stop when signalled, operating a motor vehicle recklessly, two counts of driving while disqualified, assault with a blunt instrument, theft, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. He has been remanded in prison and will reappear in the Christchurch District Court on 20 September.

Police won't tolerate this kind of reckless behaviour, which has the potential to cause harm to our staff and the wider public.

We are pleased to have made an arrest and to see the alleged offender held to account.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

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