Fuel pump mishap foiled fleeing driver

A Nelson driver’s escape from police on Saturday went from bad to worse after getting a petrol pump nozzle stuck in her car while refuelling.

Corren Indigo Anderson-Melville, 20, appeared in the Nelson District Court on Monday, where she pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, wilful damage, failing to stop and failing to remain stopped.

Police found Anderson-Melville’s Nissan Maxima car in the early hours of Sunday morning, burnt out on the Kohatu Highway near Wakefield.

While the car had been gutted by fire, still lodged in the fuel tank filler pipe was a nozzle which had been snapped off a petrol pump in Wakefield.

Anderson-Melville first ran into police earlier on Saturday evening, about 11pm on Collingwood St in Nelson. She was pulled over after she had been seen driving south along Collingwood St with no headlights on.

After stopping, Anderson-Melville took off again.

With the car’s headlights still not turned on, she began speeding in a 50kmh zone and was seen crossing the centre line.

Before calling off the chase, police reported the car swerving all over the road and burning rubber from the tyres.

Anderson-Melville later stopped at the NPD Wakefield station, about 30km away from the chase scene, to refuel. However, she drove off with the fuel pump nozzle still in the car, ripping it off the hose.

She offered no statement when later questioned by police.

NPD is seeking reparation for the damage done to the pump.

Judge David Ruth remanded AndersonMelville to January 30 for sentencing.