Tourist charged over crash
A Queenstown woman killed in a head-on crash was a lover of Irish music and a major part of the community, say friends.
Emergency services were called to the crash, involving two cars and a motorcycle, on Frankton Rd (State Highway 6A) near the intersection with Hensman Rd about
3.30pm on Tuesday. Noelene Margaret Tait, 84, of Queenstown, died at the scene. She was the only person in her vehicle.
Tait was a long-standing violinist for the Arrow Miners Band – a mature band started in
1985 and based out of Arrowtown. Band member Cheryl Collie said Tait was a ‘‘treasured member of the band’’ for about 30 years.
Tait was also a regular patron of The Fork And Tap restaurant and bar in Arrowtown and had played the violin and fiddle for an
Irish band there every Wednesday for the past eight years.
Duty manager Ruth Nolan said Tait was an ‘‘incredible lady’’, who was a ‘‘huge part’’ of the Arrowtown community. ‘‘We’ve had customers that come back once or twice a year just to see Noelene.’’
Sergeant Simon Matheson said a 29-year-old male tourist had been charged with careless driving causing death and two counts of careless driving causing injury.
He is due to appear in Queenstown District Court on Monday.
A 47-year-old Central Otago man, who was riding the motorcycle, was flown to Dunedin Hospital with a broken ankle.
A 30-year-old woman who was a passenger in the alleged offender’s car was taken to Lakes District Hospital with moderate injuries.