Fracas in Aranui

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 8

Fracas in Aranui

Four youths were arrested after an alleged assault on four traffic officers ;in.Aranui last evening. :■< None of the officers was seriously injured in the ’ scuffle, which broke out when the driver of a carload of youths was stopped .'for an alleged traffic offence. t . ' Traffic officers stopped the car about 11.30 p.m. at the junction of Pages Road and Kearneys Road. They had to radio twice for first for another traffic, patrol car, and after i the secoiid call police headquarters sent three police cars. A Christchurch police spokesman said ‘that the youths, aged in their late teens of early 20s, would probably appear in court next week l driver of the car qd

been charged with a traffic offence and assaulting a traffic officer. The other three were charged with assaulting an officer or .with obstruction.

Last evening’s Christchurch blitz on drinking drivers yielded an “unbelievable” nothing in its first five hours.

Traffic Sergeant Gary Hawkins said that only one driver out of about 60 stopped at checkpoints be-

fore 11 p.m had been asked to take a breath test. The result was negative.

“For a Friday night it is unbelievable,” he said. Only one minor non-injury accident was reported in the city during the same fivehour period, to 11 p.m. About 30 traffic officers continued to stop motorists at checkpoints until 1 a.m. Blitz targets included eight hotels and two clubs.