Ute crashes into inner city bar
When three blokes stepped out for a couple of quiet beers on Friday night they weren’t expecting to ‘‘narrowly avoid death’’.
New Plymouth men Rhys Ellery, Alvin Hunt and Mike Gordon were at Frederic’s Restaurant and Bar when a ute ploughed into the Egmont St building.
It was about 11.30pm and, including staff, there were only about seven people in the bar, Gordon said.
‘‘We noticed some headlights closing in on the window pretty quickly, then we heard the squeal of the wheels,’’ he said.
‘‘Someone must of realised there was a vehicle coming in hot and yelled ‘get down’.’’
What followed next seemed drawn out but happened within a matter of seconds, he said.
The ute flew through the glass fence in the bar’s outdoor area, and into one of the building’s concrete panels.
‘‘All of the glass frontage in Frederic’s just exploded and there was just a hail of glass.’’
The men were at an inside table close to the concrete pillar.
With the forewarning heard they managed to take a step back just as the ute smashed through the fence. Gordon said only an hour prior they had been sitting at the outdoor table which was later driven over.
‘‘I think the saving grace was that it was a cooler night.’’
There were no injuries sustained by anybody from the incident, he said. The driver legged it from the ute and the trio then chased after him through the CBD.
They caught up with him on New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway near the Wind Wand.
‘‘He tried to jump the fence by the railway tracks and he mucked up his jump and ended up on his back.’’
A police spokeswoman said one person was taken into custody on the night but no charges had been laid as yet.
The incident was still under investigation and it was not yet known whether alcohol or speed had been a factor, she said.
Yesterday, Frederic’s Restaurant and Bar was open and wood had been used as a temporary fix to damaged panels.