Photo: 123RF
A man is due to appear in Hamilton District Court after ramming three police vehicles in Te Awamutu on Friday night.
Inspector Mike Henwood, Eastern Waikato Area Commander, said the police received reports of a theft at a commercial premises on Sloane Street about 8.30pm.
Upon arrival, a Toyota Landcruiser was signalled to stop but failed to do so.
A further report of theft at 9pm was received from another commercial premises in Te Awamutu, and the same vehicle was seen by the police.
At 10.30pm, Henwood said the police responded to reports of a disorder at McDonalds in Te Awamutu, the attending units sighted the same vehicle on State Highway 3, and a co-ordinated response to stop the vehicle was carried out, leading to the vehicle successfully being spiked.
Henwood said the vehicle continued to drive into Te Awamutu township where spikes were deployed a further two times on Bygrave Place, deflating the remainder of the vehicle's tyres.
The driver then intentionally drove his vehicle into a stationary police vehicle that was parked on the side of the road, causing significant damage to the patrol vehicle. The officer inside the vehicle was uninjured.
The driver then went into a service station forecourt on Sloane Street where he was blocked in by multiple police units. He then rammed two police vehicles, causing extensive damage to the vehicles.
No police staff were injured, Henwood said.
The 43-year-old driver was later taken into custody, and faces a number of driving, assault, and shoplifting charges.
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