Police Arrest Driver but Still Plan to Stop Motorists To Gather Information Tomorrow

Oamaru Police have located the driver of a Nissan Skyline motor vehicle they had been seeking information about in relation to the death of 18-year-old Tom Fry in a motorcycle crash at Pukeuri on State Highway One early last Thursday (13 May) morning.

The driver, a 25-year-old Invercargill man, has been arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice. He appeared in the Invercargill District Court this afternoon and has been remanded on bail with strict conditions to appear on Friday (21 May) in the Invercargill District Court.

Police have also interviewed a woman who was an occupant in the car at the time.

"After some good investigation work, we can confirm that the Nissan Skyline has been at the scene where the crash occurred," said Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Blackie, who leads the inquiry, dubbed Operation Rich.

However, Detective Senior Sergeant Blackie said there were still aspects of the crash that required clarification.

"Naturally we are pleased that we have been able to locate these people as it puts us one step closer to solving the question of what happened to Mr Fry. However, we are still seeking sightings of the Nissan Skyline vehicle on Horse Gully Road and State Highway One," he said.

A combination of information gleaned from forensic examination of the vehicle and public support had led to police tracking down the vehicle's occupants.

"However, we cannot discount the fact that there are other people or vehicles involved, or that there may be further arrests or charges in relation to the crash."

About seven police staff will be gathering information tomorrow morning between 1-5am, stopping vehicles travelling on Horse Gully Road and through Richmond on State Highway One. Police will hand out fliers and also ask motorists a series of questions about whether they had seen anything in the early hours of Thursday morning, 13 May, and had any other relevant information.

A further seven staff were now working on the investigation, boosting the 12 staff already part of Operation Rich.

Detective Senior Sergeant Blackie thanked the public for their assistance, saying the response from the public had been excellent. People with information about the crash could still, however, contact Oamaru Police on (03) 433 1400 or provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.