'Definitely' the right thing to do

PHOTO: HAMISH MACLEAN
PHOTO: HAMISH MACLEAN
The driver of this Subaru wagon, which hit the police station gate in Hampden yesterday about 2.25pm, did the right thing, police say.

Constable Lesley Eason, of Waikouaiti, said an 87-year-old Oamaru driver and his wife, in her 80s, were both uninjured in the crash, which came as a result of a ''defensive'' manoeuvre after the driver's foot became stuck as it depressed the accelerator.

The driver first reversed into an unoccupied parked vehicle, which he shunted on to the road, before he reversed across the lawn at speed and hit the gate at the police station.

''He steered himself away from the road, knowing his foot was still stuck,'' Const Eason said.

The crash could have been much worse if the driver had driven into traffic, which was heavy yesterday afternoon, she said.

The man ''definitely'' did the right thing when he struck the police station gate, probably travelling at 30kmh to 40kmh, she said.

''The traffic is really heavy heading down to the Fleetwood Mac concert [in Dunedin],'' she said.

''They're all good - the main thing is they're OK. This [the gate] can be fixed.''

Const Eason drove the couple home.

The driver declined to speak about the incident yesterday.

Add a Comment