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Runaway car smash shocks occupants - TUESDAY JULY 20, 2010

Plywood covers the shattered front entrance to the Kaitaia house after a teenage motorist drove through a hedge, across the lawn, up the steps, knocked down part of the porch and the front door and ended up in the lounge at midnight on Saturday.

A teenage visitor was unwelcome when he barged into the lounge of a Kaitaia home without knocking at midnight on Saturday - in his vehicle.
The 18-year-old Kaitaia motorist failed to negotiate the turn in Church Rd at the intersection with Tahuna Cres, driving straight ahead through a hedge, across a lawn, up concrete steps, demolished part of the porch and took out the front door.
He had then "zoomed" into the lounge, Kaitaia police Constable Jackie Bartlett said yesterday.
It is understood a woman was in the lounge when the crash took place, but Ms Bartlett said no one was hurt.
No alcohol was involved, she said.
The teenager had a restricted licence and was allegedly driving outside permitted hours. Ms Bartlett said he had been charged with dangerous driving.
Tenants at the house were upset by the crash and declined to speak to the Northland Age.
Late on Friday night a Kaeo man was also unwelcome when he crashed a party where nobody knew him in a house at Cable Bay.
Ms Beazley said the "very drunk" man had allegedly hit a woman and punched holes in walls before leaving and laying down in the middle of State Highway 10.
When motorists stopped to help, he had refused to move and police were called.
Ms Bartlett said when police arrived the man was walking along the road. He had been arrested after allegedly punching an officer and was charged with assaulting police, disorderly behaviour and intentional damage.
Earlier, two women - one aged 40, the other 16 - were arrested after police found firearms, cannabis and "spotter" knives at their home in Awaroa Rd, Kaitaia, about 1.45 pm on Friday.
Ms Bartlett said the firearms - a shotgun with rounds of ammunition, and a .22 rifle - had been seized by police and would be destroyed.
Both women had been charged with possession of the firearms and ammunition, possession of cannabis and possession of drug utensils.
Kaikohe police reported a quiet weekend, but at Kawakawa Constable  Neil Vartan said two men were taken into custody when police were called to a disorderly party about 9.30pm on Saturday.
A 28-year-old man from the Kawakawa area had been charged with male assaults female, common assault and assaulting police. He also had a number of outstanding warrants.
Mr Vartan said the man had been held in custody until he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday.
A younger man taken into custody at the party on a charge of disorderly behaviour had been later bailed to appear in the Kaikohe court this week.
At Kerikeri, Senior Sergeant Peter Robinson said about 20 farm gates had been reported stolen in recent weeks, the latest at Okaihau on Friday but others earlier at Waipapa, Kerikeri and other Mid-North locations.
He asked the public to report anything which could shed light on the thefts, which had the potential to cause injury to motorists if stock wandered.
Mr Robinson was also seeking help from the public to identify whoever had shot out a light at the front of Cowley's hire business in Klinac Lane, Waipapa, about 11am on Saturday.
In an unrelated incident, a 28-year-old Takou Bay man was charged with disorderly behaviour at the Pioneer Tavern at Waipapa about 8.45 pm on Friday.
And a 21-year-old Kerikeri man was charged with sustained loss of traction after he was allegedly spinning the wheels of his car around the intersection of Hobson St and Kerikeri Rd early on Saturday.