An Australian tourist who had his car keys taken from him by a highway vigilante on the Lindis Pass in Central Otago has been fined.
Sreedharan Iyer, 41, of New South Wales, was fined $1000 for careless operation of a vehicle on State Highway 8 on January 18.
Iyer, who has returned to Australia, pleaded guilty by letter before Justices of the Peace Bill Townsend and Joy MacDonald in the Alexandra District Court today.
Iyer was driving on the Lindis Pass - an alpine highway at an elevation of 971 metres - when a Queenstown man driving in the opposite direction saw him perform a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre on a bend.
The rental car locked brakes and narrowly avoided a head-on crash, so the Queenstown man did a U-turn, overtook the car and indicated to get the driver to pull over.
After removing the tourist's car keys, he told the visitors he would call the police once he was back in cellphone range.
Iyer, his wife, two elderly friends and three children were left stranded with no food or water and no cellphone coverage on a Sunday night.
When police arrived, officers made arrangements for the stranded party, including providing refreshments at the Cromwell station.
Iyer's rental agreement was cancelled.
- The Southland Times
