Alcohol link to crash under investigation

The car, containing six 13- to 15-year-olds, struck a tree after the driver fled a police cordon. Photo / Supplied

Police are looking into whether alcohol was involved in a high-speed car chase in South Auckland yesterday, which put six teenagers in hospital.

The teenaged boys - aged between 13 and 15 years old - were travelling in a stolen vehicle when they were stopped at a police cordon in Manurewa just after midnight.

While being approached by a police officer, the group sped off, starting off a high-speed pursuit.

It ended minutes later, with the vehicle smashing into a tree on the corner of Hill Rd and Claude Rd at around 12.20am. The driver, who suffered serious leg injuries, had to be cut from the vehicle and underwent major surgery yesterday morning.

The other five passengers were treated for less serious injuries, with three discharged yesterday.

The other two were required to stay longer to be assessed in the emergency department.

Inspector Heather Wells of Counties Manukau police said the Serious Crash Unit was analysing blood taken from the group to determine whether alcohol was involved.

She said it was unclear how fast the car was going, although the officer in pursuit was left 600m behind the group's car in a matter of seconds, she said.

"When he got up to the intersection of Hill Rd - he looked right and saw the car down the other side [of the road]," Ms Wells said.

"There weren't any skid marks but they were going very, very fast."

She said the pursuit - which lasted only minutes - began on Charles Prevost Drive, where police had specifically put a cordon in place, searching for a group who had stolen a number of cars in the area.

After speeding off, a second patrol car found the wreckage about four minutes after the pursuit began.

"The police were out there looking for these offenders - they spotted the car and I think they [teenagers] got scared.

"They took off and ended up crashing," Inspector Wells said.

The car the teenagers were travelling in was stolen on Sunday night, police confirmed.

Inspector Wells said charges had yet to be laid. However, she said the incident had the potential to have been a more serious one.

"For those boys - they are very lucky they weren't hurt more seriously," Ms Wells said.

Police are looking for any witnesses of the pursuit or crash.

If you have any information, contact the Serious Crime Unit at the Counties Manukau police station on: (09) 259 0600.