Busy weekend for Alexandra police

'A busy weekend for Alexandra Police has resulted in two men being arrested and held in custody and a search operation being conducted involving Police, Fire and Coastguard staff.

At about 2.40am on Sunday 11 January 2009 Police were called to an address in Russell Street Alexandra to a domestic incident. It appears that a 60th birthday party was being held at an address when one of the partygoers became upset with his partner and assaulted her.

When other female family members tried to intervene they were also assaulted. Upon Police arrival the two Police officers were met by an aggressive male person who charged at them while swinging an axe handle above his head.

He was called upon repeatedly to drop the weapon and eventually did so but only after being threatened with pepper spray and a baton.

As a result a 46 year old Cromwell man has been arrested and held in custody to appear in the Dunedin District Court tomorrow (Monday).

He faces charges of Assault with a weapon, possession of an offensive weapon namely an axe handle, 3 charges of Male assaults female and resisting arrest.

In the other incident Police were called to Chicago Street Alexandra at approx 6.30am on Sunday 11 January 2009 to reports of a vehicle having hit a power transformer with the driver then attempting to flee the scene.
Upon arrival Police found a 23 year old local man still in his badly damaged car. He was attempting to drive away from the crash scene but had been stopped by members of the public who had been woken by the crash.

The driver was agitated and aggressive and refused all attempts by Police and the public to assist him. He was arrested and will face charges of Dangerous driving, assaulting Police, Resisting Police and Refusing a blood sample.

Both the vehicle and transformer were badly damaged and power was cut to a number of homes for some time.

Given the drivers condition he was assessed by both a Doctor and Mental Health staff and kept in custody until approx 2.45pm when he was released into the care of family members.

Approx 45 minutes later Police were contacted by the mans family who advised that he had left them in an upset state and headed towards the Clutha River after making comments that caused them to have concern for his safety.

The Coastguard Rescue boat and Fire Rescue boat were both activated and Police staff along with Fire staff from both Clyde and Alexandra began a foot search along the riverbank area. A helicopter was also put on standby.
The man was located by the Coastguard boat approx 40 minutes later hiding behind a rock on the riverbank.
He was taken into custody and has been held to appear in the Dunedin District Court on Monday 12 January 2009.

He will face a further charge of assault as a result of the afternoon incident.'