Attributable to Wellington District Commander, Superintendent Corrie Parnell
One person has been taken into custody following an earlier incident in Epuni, Lower Hutt.
At about 5:25pm, Police were called to Trinity Ave after receiving a report of suspicious behaviour.
A responding Police unit observed a vehicle of interest leaving the area and signalled for it to stop. It did not stop and instead, drove into the Police vehicle and then into two other Police vehicles that arrived to assist.
A member of the public’s vehicle was also hit by the man’s vehicle. Thankfully the member of the public was uninjured.
The man exited his vehicle in an attempt to flee the scene on foot, and was taken into custody just after 5:45pm.
Three Police vehicles have sustained significant damage. Five Police staff have been assessed with minor injuries following the collisions.
Our staff go to work every day to help make our communities safer, and behaviour such as this where Police staff and vehicles are targeted is unacceptable.
I am incredibly proud of the work from our staff in this quick-moving event where a vehicle was used as a weapon against Police, creating a massive risk to the safety of everybody involved.
Police are continuing enquiries into this incident.
A 49-year-old man is due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court tomorrow, facing three charges of aggravated assault, a charge of indecent assault and failed to stop for Police.
Further charges have not been ruled out.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre