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The scene of the accident in Blenheim - Source: ONE News -
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Blenheim police say a suspected drunk driver who crashed into and killed another motorist was not being pursued at the time.
A woman died when a female driver fled an alcohol checkpoint in central Blenheim just before 10pm on Friday night. Police say they tried to follow but deny it was a police pursuit gone wrong.
A young female driver accelerated away from the checkpoint near the CBD, crashing just 400 metres away from the checkpoint.
The 20-year-old driver, who had failed a breath test minutes before, walked away from her car. The other motorist, a 51-year-old tragically caught up in the events, lost her life.
A police statement shortly after the crash late on Friday night said officers tried to follow the vehicle.
District Commander Superintendent Gary Knowles says the officer who made those comments will be talked to on Monday, and insists it was not a police pursuit.
This death comes just a month after a black night on Tasman District roads when two separate police pursuits ended in two fatalities.
The Police Association says it is confident this was not a police chase.
"Even if it was a pursuit which it wasn't, it still doesn't
exonerate the blame from the motorist, the person who chose to try
to evade the law. That's where the blame starts and finishes. As it
was, it wasn't a pursuit," says Association spokesman, Greg
O'Connor.
Regardless, the Police Association says police may refer it to the
Independent Police Conduct Authority for investigation.
The driver at the centre of the saga is likely to face
charges.
Truck driver killed
Meanwhile another person is dead after a truck went off State Highway 1 at Allanton, south of Mosgiel.
No other vehicle was believed to be involved and the driver of the truck died at the scene.
