‘Goat pie’ starts racism fracas

QUEENSTOWN police had a busy weekend with two suspected teenage drinkdrivers and a dispute over goat pie and racism.

A man was allegedly punched in the face during a ‘‘drunken’’ argument with another man about a goat pie outside Night ’n Day on Camp St, Queenstown, on Saturday morning about 4.20am.

A 47yearold New Zealand man was accused of being racist by the other man after he allegedly said goat pie was only sold in Asian shops.

Police said the man who made the accusation was then punched in the face.

His alleged attacker was charged with assault.

Queenstown police also responded to several other incidents in the town.

A 23yearold man, of Queenstown, was arrested and charged with wilful damage and unlawfully being in a building shortly after 1am on Saturday morning.

Sgt Watt said the man was ‘‘extremely intoxicated’’ and ran towards the front entrance of O’Connells Shopping Centre, before breaking the glass doors.

Sgt Watt said the man was then seen running around inside the mall before security officers apprehended him.

Two teenage girls, of Alexandra, were charged with driving with excess breathalcohol on Saturday morning after crashing into a hotel sign on Frankton Rd.

Sgt Watt said the vehicle was driven off after hitting the sign and was stopped by officers further down the road.

He said the driver and passenger had swapped seats after hitting the sign — when breathtested, both allegedly blew readings above the legal limit.

A 17yearold recorded 658mcg and a 19yearold girl blew a reading of 982mcg.

Both had their driver licences suspended for 28 days.

A police officer was involved in a crash after being called out to a vehicle driving complaint in the resort at 3.40pm on Saturday. The male officer attempted to do a Uturn and hit a car being used to service fire safety equip ment. The incident is being investigated.

Police are still looking for a driver, believed to have been behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle, who failed to stop in Queenstown yesterday. The driver of a 2002 Holden Commodore car failed to stop about 2.30am on Shotover Street. Police pursued the vehicle, which continued on to Fernhill Road, but abandoned the chase. The car was later found abandoned in Fernhill.

The driver, who Sgt Watt said was a man in his early to mid 20s, was seen running away through nearby gardens.

The vehicle was impounded by police and Sgt Watt has appealed for witnesses to contact Queenstown police.

Police are also looking to speak to a couple about a theft in Queenstown.

The incident took place between the evening of Friday, July 6 and early morning on Saturday, July 7.

Police would not reveal the location where the alleged theft took place.