Driver pepper-sprayed during incident

Police cars and an ambulance park outside the Cromwell police station yesterday after a man who threatened police had to be subdued with pepper spray.

A 36-year-old Auckland man will appear in the Queenstown District Court today charged with drink-driving, resisting arrest and threatening to harm two police officers in Cromwell.

A police spokesman said Central Otago police stopped a vehicle on State Highway 8B, near Deadman's Point Bridge, about 2pm yesterday, following calls from the public that it was being driven erratically.

The driver refused to co-operate, threatened to harm two police officers and resisted arrest, at which point ``an officer was required to use . . . pepper spray on him''.

Extra units were called from Alexandra to help at the scene.

Police inquiries continue, and further charges may be laid.

-By Kerrie Waterworth