Man accused of ramming four police vehicles named

The Tauranga court house on Cameron Rd. Photo / File

The identity of a man accused of a raft of driving-related offences, including allegedly ramming four police vehicles during a pursuit In Tauranga, can now be revealed.

Benjamin Ambrose Hati, 36, from Hamilton faced nine charges when he appeared in Tauranga District Court today via an audio-visual link from prison.

He has yet to enter a plea to the charges, which relate to a police pursuit in Mount Maunganui on January 16 this year.

Hati faced four charges of assaulting a constable. Three related to one constable and the fourth to second constable. The charges relate to an allegation that Hati rammed four police vehicles during the pursuit.

He was also charged with one count each of failing to stop, reckless driving and failing to stop to ascertain injury after an accident.

A charge of driving with reckless disregard for the safety of others related to an allegation he drove on the wrong side of a concrete median barrier on State Highway 2.

Hati was also charged with unlawfully getting into another vehicle in Mount Maunganui the same day. It was not immediately clear whether this charge related to the pursuit allegations.

Hati's lawyer Taryn Bayley asked for more time to discuss the police disclosure and charges with her client before entering pleas.

Judge John MacDonald granted the request and further remanded Hati in custody to next appear in the same court on February 19.

Pleas will be required on that day.