Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Big damage as car fleeing cops gets airborne, smashes into caravan

By Astrid Austin
Hawkes Bay Today·
12 Jan, 2019 10:34 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The car crashed into the side of Irene McLaren's house. Photo / Duncan Brown

The car crashed into the side of Irene McLaren's house. Photo / Duncan Brown

A Hastings resident is reeling after high-speed police chase ended in her garden, causing extensive damage.

During the early hours of Saturday morning, Irene McLaren woke to what she thought was a "bomb" going off.

Instead, a car, with what she said were four young men had become "airborne", crashing through three houses on Oliphant Rd, before coming to a stop.

Irene McLaren's house suffered damage in the crash. Photo / Duncan Brown
Irene McLaren's house suffered damage in the crash. Photo / Duncan Brown

In its wake was a pile of destruction, with fence palings and debris scattered on the ground.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Police and a dog squad arrived shortly after.

Debris can be seen on Oliphant Rd, Hastings. Photo / Duncan Brown
Debris can be seen on Oliphant Rd, Hastings. Photo / Duncan Brown

McLaren said two of the men were apprehended at Ebbett Park, while the other two were "hiding" in a house three doors down, leaving a trail of blood.

The side of her house copped some damage, which should be covered, bar excess, by her insurance.

However, her $7500 caravan, which she is not covered for, has been written off.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

McLaren said she had spent a year renovating both the interior and exterior, and only had a top coat to go before needing to register it.

"The caravan spun around. From the impact, it split everything from the frame and it can't be replaced.

"We got most of the damage. It was quite dramatic and is still crazy to believe," McLaren said on Sunday.

"I think I'm still trying to come to terms with everything."

Discover more

New Zealand

Three dead in crashes in the lower North Island

15 Jan 05:46 PM

She had recently had part of her silverbirch tree chopped down after the last storm, and believes if that had not happened, the outcome could have been a lot more serious.

"I'm just glad there were no bodies left lying around."

McLaren said she felt police should not have engaged in the pursuit inside the city.

Inspector Matthew Broderick said about 1.15am on Saturday two officers attempted to stop a speeding vehicle.

"The vehicle failed to stop and crashed into a fence on Oliphant St."

Broderick said two occupants of the vehicle were injured and taken to hospital and a third person from the vehicle was still being sought.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The pursuit lasted less than a minute and based on the information available to me, proper procedure was followed by the officers involved.

"No complaints have been received however if any resident is concerned about the incident they are encouraged to contact police."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Green light for fires on Napier beaches after council quietly revokes bylaw

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

St John defends decision not to send ambulance to toddler who broke jaw in fall

11 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM

The North Island is expected to get off to a wet start this morning, with lingering rain.

Green light for fires on Napier beaches after council quietly revokes bylaw

Green light for fires on Napier beaches after council quietly revokes bylaw

11 Jul 06:00 PM
St John defends decision not to send ambulance to toddler who broke jaw in fall

St John defends decision not to send ambulance to toddler who broke jaw in fall

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
John Jenkins: Empire State another jumper on the rise

John Jenkins: Empire State another jumper on the rise

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP