At 0035 this morning a male in a stolen Mazda was seen by police on Waimumu Road, Massey. Police followed the vehicle for a short time then stopped alongside it at an intersection where they signalling the driver to pull over. The driver initially indicted that they would comply, but then drove off at speed along Central Park Drive.
Police activated lights and sirens and a pursuit was initiated.
The vehicle passed Te Pai Place, travelled over the bridge spanning Henderson Creek along Central Park Drive. After the bridge the driver lost control of the vehicle, veering over the footpath on the left side of the road. The vehicle proceeded up the bank and skidded along the grass coming to rest against a nearby tree. The driver’s side took the full impact.
The driver was initially trapped in the vehicle which caught fire. Officers used fire extinguishers to stop the fire whilst other officers extracted the driver from the car.
The driver was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while three police officers were assessed by ambulance staff at the scene for the effects of smoke inhalation.
The driver is a 15-year-old male who is currently in Auckland Hospital.
Acting Area Commander Inspector Claire Humble says this is another example of the tragic consequences which can occur if a driver fails to comply with a simple instruction by police to stop.
“This is a devastating event for both the victim and his family, as well as my staff. This situation could have easily been avoided had the driver pulled over.
“A thorough investigation will be carried by police, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority has been notified as is standard for such incidents.
“However based on all the information available to me at this time, I am satisfied that this incident was managed appropriately.
“I also note that my staff put themselves at considerable risk to get the driver out of the car while it was on fire.
“Once again we must give the message that if you are told to stop by police, then just pull over and get the matter sorted out. The consequences of not doing so can lead to a devastating outcome, as we saw last night.” said Inspector Humble.
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Issued by PNHQ media team