Police looking for drunk & drugged driver who drove car with missing wheel

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Christchurch police are looking for a man who abandoned his vehicle in Linwood and fled on foot, believed to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

A resident told Chris Lynch Media he witnessed a car speeding down Cypress Street at 1.41AM, missing its front left wheel.

"I called the police the minute I saw this happening." The car eventually came to a halt further down the street.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the resident managed to take a few photographs before noticing someone slumped over in the driver's seat.

"He got out of the car, while I was still on the phone with the police. I was hit with a wave of bourbon breath and cannabis.

“The police call-taker advised me to stay away from him, so I retreated around the corner. That must have been when he decided to flee," the resident said.

The individual was described by the resident as Maori and in his early 20s.

A police spokesperson confirmed the incident saying officers responded to a call on Cypress Street where a vehicle was observed driving on the rims of its wheels.

"The driver abandoned the vehicle, which had lost one of its wheels during the incident, and was observed leaving the area on foot," the spokesperson said.

Despite conducting local inquiries, police have yet to locate the driver.

However, they are pursuing several leads.