Details were sketchy at edition time, but the Armed Offenders' Squad from Whangarei was helicoptered to Kaingaroa, east of Awanui, yesterday afternoon after an apparently armed man fled from a local Highway Patrol officer.
The Northland Age understands the man, who had been pursued unsuccessfully earlier in the day or in recent days, was recognised and chased again, on to unsealed Duncan Road, off State Highway 10.
The officer managed to stop the car some five kilometres after leaving the highway, but the driver picked up what the officer believed to be a rifle from the passenger seat and fled into bush, possibly after initially trying to hide the weapon.
Police from Kaitaia and Mangonui waited at the point where the chase ended and at Kaingaroa until the AOS arrived, the chopper landing in a parking area outside the hall, while a police dog and handler were also taking part in the search.
