Amazed and relieved is the reaction from Hamilton Police after a little girl travelling in the front seat of an offender's car suffered only a minor injury in a head-on collision between that vehicle and a patrol car this morning.
City Deployment Manager, Inspector Karen Henrikson, said as it was, one police officer suffered lacerations to his head and the girl, believed to be aged about two-years-old, was taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked out to for a minor head injury.
"The crash is currently under investigation by the Serious Crash Unit but it appears the incident happened when a white Ford Falcon sedan was pulled over in a routine stop on Seddon Rd about 11.30am.
"The driver initially stopped, however as the Constable got out of his patrol car the offender accelerated away."
The officer reported a fleeing driver on his radio and continued in the direction the offender was last seen travelling as he had lost sight of the vehicle.
The next time the officer sighted the car was a short time later when it was travelling towards him on Rimu St.
Just prior to this it appears the Falcon failed to negotiate a bend and left the road, striking a signpost, tree, traffic island and power-pole. Although the vehicle sustained considerable damage the offender accelerated back in the direction he had come from, into the path of the patrol car.
"Witnesses at the scene describe a child as having been in the front of the car at this time, it appears the offender, who wasn't injured in the crash, tried to climb over her as he attempted to escape.
"Arrested at the scene the man was taken back to the Hamilton Police Station to be interviewed while the injured officer and child were taken for medical treatment. Given the events described by the witnesses we are very thankful the girl escaped serious injury and no other members of the public were involved," said Ms Henrikson.
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