20 November 2007
A man is in custody after a high speed chase in the north Waikato overnight that saw a patrol car rammed, road spikes used three times and an officer assaulted.
Events unfolded in Ngaruawahia about 10pm when an officer turned up to work early and noticed the sound of a car doing burnouts in the town.
Driving to check the disturbance the officer saw what he first thought was a Porsche being driven erratically, it turned out to be a new Nissan Skyline, that sped north.
To avoid danger from patrol cars being driven at excessive speed Police deployed road spikes during a chase north to Meremere before the Nissan headed back down SH1.
During the 25 minute chase the offender's car is estimated to have reached speeds up to 170km/h and hit one of the patrol cars.
Officers described the Nissan's tyres as disintegrating before the car came to a halt, shortly before the fourth set of road spikes.
Exiting the Nissan the driver then assaulted Police before being subdued, uncooperative the man, aged in his 30s, faces a variety of charges including assaulting Police and dangerous driving.
END