Youth arrest after pursuit

Another youth has been arrested for allegedly leading police on a pursuit in Northland.

Acting Senior Sergeant Stephanie Hudson said a 15-year-old boy was arrested about 3am on Sunday after police had earlier spotted a stolen white van on Te Pua Rd, Ohaeawai.

Ms Hudson said when police tried to pull the van over it took off, leading officers on a chase that saw them traverse State Highway 1, Te Ahuahu Rd and other roads before the vehicle had its tyres spiked on Old Bay Rd. She said the driver of the van also allegedly rammed a police vehicle during the pursuit.

The arrested boy was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, wilful damage and being unlawfully in a vehicle. He would appear in the youth court this week.

The pursuit comes only days after a fleeing 16-year-old driver on a learner licence rammed three police cars during a 15-minute pursuit in Kamo on Saturday last week.

The day before, a stolen car reached speeds of 160km/h in a police pursuit lasting 30km, before it clipped another vehicle and crashed off SH1 near Towai.

At the start of the month, Northland police abandoned a pursuit after a driver, who failed to stop, hit top speeds of 200km/h.

And a 14-year-old was arrested after fleeing from police in a stolen car two weeks ago.

Also last week a 36-year-old man from Raumanga injured a 75-year-old man when the car he was fleeing from police in hit the elderly man's car on Western Hills Drive.

Northland road policing manager Inspector Wayne Ewers said fleeing drivers had little regard for anyone but themselves and their "absolute stupidity and dangerous driving" put innocent lives at risk.

"Just stop. It's not worth killing or seriously injuring someone. They are putting everyone's lives at risk and that's the issue," Mr Ewers said.