Police on Sunday used dogs to assist with scene enquiries after the now-former Justice Minister Kiri Allan was involved in a crash in Wellington.
Emergency services were called to the crash just after 9pm and found Allan about 500m from where the crash took place.
Police said in a statement the incident was dealt with the same way it would have been for any other member of the public.
"Police can confirm a dog unit was called by attending staff to assist with scene enquiries, although it was not required to locate people as staff were already talking with individuals allegedly involved in the crash," the statement said.
On Monday morning, it was revealed Allan had been involved in the crash and been taken into police custody. She was subsequently charged with careless use of a motor vehicle and refusing to accompany a police officer.
Allan was also issued an infringement notice for excess breath alcohol between 250 and 400mcg.
The East Coast MP subsequently resigned from all of her ministerial portfolios and announced on Tuesday she wouldn't stand for re-election, saying she had "let everyone down".
"While her actions are inexcusable, I was given information that she was experiencing extreme emotional distress at the time of the incident," Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said in the aftermath of the crash.
"My initial concerns last night were for her immediate safety and well-being."
Before the crash, it had only been just more than a week since Hipkins announced Allan would return to work and resume her full duties after accusations surfaced about mistreatment of staff in her office. Allan had previously rejected the allegations, saying no formal complaints had been made.
The accusations came to light while Allan was on a week of leave for mental health reasons.
This article was amended on September 5 to correct an incorrect piece of information about Kiri Allan.
