New Zealand

Charges follow chaotic Taranaki Labour Weekend car event

18:00 pm on 10 November 2021

New Plymouth Police have impounded nine vehicles and issued 15 traffic infringement notices after a car event involving hundreds of drivers and violent behaviour over Labour Weekend.

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Police also said some of those who attended may have violated Covid restrictions by coming from outside the Taranaki region.

"Our staff are making inquiries into reports that some of the participants crossed alert level boundaries to attend the gathering," they said.

During the car event on 23 October, a person was hospitalised after being struck by a vehicle on De Havilland Drive.

Police said one of the cars doing burnouts lost control. It hit a parked vehicle and a woman standing beside it, crushing her between the two cars.

A police spokesman said an 18-year-old Inglewood man was charged in relation to this incident and is currently before the courts.

Police also responded to a crash on Centennial Drive where a vehicle skidded out of control.

The driver in that incident was not injured but a patrol car responding to the crash was surrounded by a group, with one man jumping on the bonnet of the patrol car and smashing the windscreen, while others threw bottles and cans at the patrol car, smashing the rear window.

"The officer was very lucky to not be injured in this incident," police said in their statement.

Police continue to make enquiries into this activity to hold those involved responsible for their actions.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the New Plymouth Police on 06 759 5500 or anonymously on Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 and quote file number 211024/0272.