The driver of a stolen BMW fled on foot after demolishing a fence and a power pole in a crash on State Highway 12.
The smash occurred at 7pm on Monday at Taheke, west of Kaikohe, leaving the car wrapped in the power pole's reinforcing rods and the power lines down.
Kaikohe Fire Brigade station officer Wayne Powdrill said the driver ran off before emergency services arrived.
The car had ended up on its side in a paddock so traffic was unaffected.
A Top Energy spokesman said 422 households lost power for 15 minutes until electricity could be brought in by another route. Another 236 households were in the dark for six hours while the power pole was replaced and lines repaired.