A drunk man firing a shotgun outside a Totara Flat house on Monday sparked a full scale armed police response that closed State highway 7 between Greymouth and Reefton for several hours.
The armed offenders squad and police negotiation team members were sent to the Grey Valley town and a 27-year-old man local man was arrested at 6.30pm, ending a six-hour incident.
Police said they were contacted when the alleged victim of a family harm incident managed to get away from the Totara Flat property where their partner had been firing off a shotgun.
"A male was reportedly firing a shotgun outside a dwelling," senior sergeant Brent Cook, of Greymouth police, said.
"The victim had already left the scene to inform the police."
The area was cordoned off through the afternoon when it emerged the alleged offender was still on the property and within the dwelling.
"He was contained within the address very, very early on in the piece and it was just a matter getting everyone needed (on the ground)," Mr Cook said.
The negotiation team helped ensure the 27-year-old man was taken into custody, "very smoothly".
State highway 7 was closed off at the northern outskirt of Totara Flat settlement through the afternoon, with west bound holiday traffic diverted back via Ikamatua and the Atarau Road.
Lewis Neil McKenzie made a brief appearance in the Greymouth District Court this morning before a Justice of the Peace.
McKenzie is charged with discharging a semi-automatic shotgun near a dwelling to frighten the victim, threatening to hurt a dog, possession of a .308 rifle and a semi-automatic shotgun for an unlawful purpose, and being in control of a semi-automatic shotgun while under the influence of alcohol.
Police did not oppose bail, who was remanded without plea to appear in the Westport District Court on November 15.
As conditions of his bail, McKenzie must live at a Totara Flat address, but is banned from associating with the complainant, must not enter Cobden, consume alcohol or offer violence, and is to report to the Westport Police Station weekly.
- by Brendon McMahon
