Tauranga police kept busy with three alleged fleeing driver incidents, with several arrests

Police were kept busy by three separate fleeing drivers on Friday night. Photo / File

Tauranga police have made several arrests after three alleged fleeing driver incidents across the city this weekend

In the first case, the driver of a stolen vehicle failed to stop in Tauranga CBD about 9.15 pm, and drove off at excessive speed, a police communications spokesperson said.

Road spikes were used to stop the vehicle on Welcome Bay Rd, and the five occupants ran off but were located and all taken into custody, the spokesperson said

Police say the second alleged incident happened about 10.55pm on State Highway 29a after the driver failed to stop and drove off at excessive speed in a 100 km/h limit area,

The amount of traffic on the road was "heavy".

It is further alleged the vehicle was travelling at three times the speed limit through roadworks, crashed, before getting back on to the road and heading towards SH29a.

The police spokesperson said officers abandoned the pursuit at that point and later found the damaged vehicle parked at a sports ground on Oropi Rd

A police dog helped track the driver, who has been charged with failing to stop for police and driving with excess breath alcohol.

Police said the third incident happened about 12.40am on Saturday after a blue Holden Commodore seen on Alverstoke Rd failed to stop when signalled to do so.

The car was travelling at twice the legal speed limit on 11th Avenue and ran a red light at 80 km/h per hour, police further allege,

The police spokesperson said due to dangerous nature of the person's driving the pursuit was abandoned, and the driver was unable to be located.