Car crashes into pole after police chase

The driver of a car being pursued by police drove away at more than 150km/h and wound up crashing into a power pole early today, police said.

The lines from the power pole fell across the road after the crash, pulling the red and blue lights off the roof of the police car.

West Waikato area commander Inspector Russell Le Prou said two cars were seen racing through the streets of Te Kuiti about 3.30am.

The police car began pursuing one of the cars, which took off, at a speed estimated by the officer as more than 150km/h.

The police officer had been following the car for less than a kilometre when he slowed down to take a bend, and when he turned the corner saw the car had gone off the road.

"Thinking the driver had pulled up someone's drive the officer drove up to the car but heard a loud bang on the roof of the patrol car.

"As it has turned out the offender's car had hit a power pole and then smashed through a fence, coming to rest in a front garden.

"The pole has been damaged leaving the live wires at an angle across the road which stripped the Police car's light bar from the roof of the vehicle."

The Waikato Serious Crash Unit attended the crash scene and the Police Complaints Authority has been notified of the incident.

The 22-year-old male driver was unhurt in the crash and has been charged with failing to stop and operating a vehicle in an unauthorised street or drag race.

Other charges are expected to follow.

A 23-year-old man travelling in the front passenger seat was also unhurt, but an 18-year-old woman sitting in the back was taken by ambulance to Waikato Hospital with possible neck or spine injuries.

- NZPA