Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Pete van de Wetering - Waikato District Command Centre:
At approximately 10:40am today Police attempted to stop a stolen vehicle which was being driven dangerously on State Highway One north of Huntly.
The driver failed to stop and fled from the Huntly Police patrol.
It passed through Taupiri and towards the expressway where it U-turned before heading towards Gordonton.
The following Police unit pulled back, concerned about safety due to the speed.
The vehicle was then located a short time later in Lake Road, approaching River Road, near Horotiu.
Once again attempts to stop it were unsuccessful as the stolen car was driven on River Road towards Ngaruawahia.
Police stopped following the fleeing driver for safety reasons as they approached Ngaruawahia.
Police adopted a search phase in the area and shortly after 11am the vehicle was spotted on Te Kowhai Road travelling south out of Ngaruawahia.
Police followed the vehicle and a short time later the car crashed on a bend on Te Kowhai Road, approximately 2km out of Te Kowhai.
The offender ran from the vehicle but was caught and arrested.
He sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash and is currently in Police custody while being treated in hospital.
Charges will be laid against the 22-year-old later today.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.
Police received nine complaints from members of the public about the vehicle as it was driven into the Waikato region.
All callers were extremely concerned about the speed and driving behaviour of the vehicle.
Police are extremely grateful to the people who made these complaints.
It was clear the general public were being put at risk by this dangerous driver and the information these people provided was integral in helping Police to get him off our roads.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre