A fleeing driver who avoided road spikes and police stops was finally brought to a halt with tasers and pepper spray after a high-speed drive lasting more than 120km.
A 24-year-old man was arrested and is facing a raft of charges related to dangerous driving following the incident on Tuesday afternoon.
The man allegedly fled a petrol station in Pahiatua at 4.30pm without paying for petrol, leading to police beginning a lengthy operation to stop him.
However, multiple spike strips failed to stop the vehicle, and the driver managed to flee as far as Upper Hutt.
A police spokesperson said police attempted to stop the vehicle in Eketahuna, but chose not to pursue it due to the speed at which it was travelling.
“Road spikes were deployed at Carterton, and again at Te Marua after the vehicle continued on across the Remutaka range,” they said.
“It was spiked a third time near Maoribank, Upper Hutt, where it collided with a member of the public’s vehicle.”
They said the driver then left his vehicle and allegedly attempted to carjack another, but was unsuccessful.
“The man was tasered and pepper-sprayed and taken into custody. No members of the public were injured.”
The distance from Pahiatua to Maoribank is more than 126km and would take almost two hours to travel. The man appeared in Hutt Valley District Court yesterday.
