iPhone feature alerts Dunedin police to crashed drunk driver

An intoxicated man who drove into a ditch on Tuesday morning abused police who called his cellphone, which autonomously alerted them to the crash.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said when police communications rang the phone that the notification was from, they were abused by the male occupant who answered.

Police then attended the scene at Gladfield Rd, Mosgiel, and spoke to a 33-year-old man who was intoxicated.

Bond said the man refused an officer’s request for blood, so he was arrested and charged.

The autonomous crash detection feature was introduced with the iPhone 14.

At 10.50 on Tuesday night, police stopped a vehicle in Musselburgh Rise and spoke to the 30-year-old driver. Observing an axe, they invoked a search without warrant.

During the search, police discovered a bag of ammunition, which led to another search for firearms.

Police recovered a meth pipe, a white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine, point bags, and nearly $1500 cash.

They also recovered a loaded sawn-off shotgun in the front seat that was loaded with two shotgun shells.

The driver was arrested and is due to appear in court this morning charged with breaching a firearms prohibition order, unlawfully possessing a firearm, possession of an offensive weapon, possession for supply of methamphetamine, and possession of utensils for methamphetamine.