A 25-year-old man died when his vehicle lost control in south Canterbury on Friday evening. He had just driven off while being spoken to by the police.
The police say at 9.30 pm they went to an address on Boiling Down Road, Temuka, after being notified of a person behaving in a disorderly manner.
The Mid South Canterbury police area commander, Inspector Dave Gaskin, says a man was leaving as the police arrived.
He accelerated away while they were talking to him, and had driven a considerable distance before crashing while officers were still turning their car around to follow him.
Mr Gaskin says the man appeared to be severely intoxicated, was travelling at considerably more than the speed limit and was not wearing a seatbelt.
He says there will be a full investigation although it appears police actions played no part in the death.
