Charges following fleeing driver incident and burglary in Hawke’s Bay

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Mike Stevenson

A man has been charged with a range of offences after a WorkSafe vehicle was stolen from a Hastings address overnight.

The vehicle was spotted by road workers on Middle Road just before midday today.

The workers alerted Police after they became suspicious of the vehicle and driver.

The ute was then seen by Police on Windsor Avenue and it failed to stop when instructed to.

Police then engaged with the fleeing driver by following the vehicle.

Police stopped following the vehicle in Hastings CBD due to the manner of driving.

Shortly afterwards, the vehicle crashed into the back of a stationary vehicle which was stopped at traffic lights at the intersection of Karamu Rd and St Aubyn St.

It then drove through a large amount of wet concrete at road works, causing significant damage.

It was later seen in Frimley and followed by an unmarked Police vehicle, but not at any significant speed.

The vehicle crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Chatham Road and Walton Way after it cut a corner and struck a car head on.

This was at low speed and no one was injured as a result.

The offending vehicle then fled again.

Police followed the vehicle but again stopped following the vehicle due to the manner of driving.

A short time later the vehicle was seen driving along Flaxmere Avenue and was spiked by a stationary Police unit.

The driver ditched the vehicle after 20 minutes of intermittent following by Police.

The offender ran from the scene and was arrested a short time later.

A search of the car recovered stolen items from another burglary that happened in Havelock North sometime during the day.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with:

Aggravated Fails to Stop; Reckless Driving; two counts of Fails to Stop and Ascertain Injury; Burglary; Unlawful Takes Motor Vehicle.

The man will appear in the Hastings District Court tomorrow.

ENDS

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