KEY POINTS:
A man stabbed two police officers as he fled from a smash that followed a car chase in Auckland last evening.
One young officer was airlifted to hospital after he was stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver.
His colleague suffered a leg injury as he tried to catch the fleeing suspect.
Neither was seriously injured, although medical experts said the officer with the chest injury was lucky to have escaped being critically hurt.
NZ First law and order spokesman Ron Mark said the incident highlighted the need for police to be equipped with stab-resistant body armour. Although frontline officers in Auckland had expected to get it at the end of this year, it had taken too long for something to happen.
Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the vests "can't come soon enough".
The attack highlighted the damage that could be done with just a screwdriver, he said.
In a recent incident, the police had been criticised for using a Taser on a screwdriver-wielding man.
Senior Sergeant Ross Endicott-Davies said the attacker in yesterday's incident had refused to stop for a patrol car in Panmure about 6pm, taking off with the police officers in pursuit.
The chase took officers on to the Mt Wellington Highway during which a patrol car was rammed by the fugitive's vehicle.
The car kept going despite losing two front tyres and finally stopped when it crashed into a truck at the intersection of Aranui Rd and Mt Wellington Highway.
Dion Takimoana, who was a passenger in the truck, said he saw the incident unfold over two or three minutes and it was quite a blur "because the adrenaline was just pumping so much", he said.
"At first we thought it was quite funny until he pulled the screwdriver out and then I just thought, 'Far out, wicked, this isn't good'."
While running away, the driver lunged at the two officers and also tried to get into other cars that were on the road.
"But this big Island guy had the massivest stick and just went up to the guy and whacked him," Mr Takimoana said.
The blow did not stop the offender, who just brushed it off and kept running, Mr Takimoana said.
Police caught the fugitive about 100m from his car.
The officer with the chest injury was taken to hospital in the police Eagle helicopter.
His colleague was treated at the scene by a passing doctor before being taken to hospital for treatment.
A man is in police custody and will appear in the Auckland District Court today charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
