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A young man smelling of alcohol survived a spectacular car crash after a police pursuit through West Auckland last night.
The 22-year-old man was chased by police after his car was seen travelling erratically through New Lynn about 8.50pm.
He was pursued for about five minutes before crashing on Patiki Rd in Avondale after police laid spikes across the road.
The man lost control of the car which mounted the kerb and somersaulted through the air, hitting two parked cars.
The car came to rest on its rear bumper up against the wall of a building, with the wheels facing outwards.
The man walked away from the wreckage with a minor neck injury.
He was taken to Auckland City Hospital and faces several charges.
Sergeant Matthew Frost from the Henderson police said the vehicle was pursued after failing to stop.
"The vehicle failed to stop and the driver continued to drive for approximately 10km trying to elude police. He smelled of alcohol and admitted he had been drinking to police.
"A blood sample will be taken off him for analysis to see how much alcohol he has consumed prior to the crash," he said from the scene last night.
The car had been travelling at more than 100km/h through 50km/h zones.
A woman sleeping in a unit in the building was also taken to hospital for a check-up.
Station officer John Barlow from Avondale Fire Station said: "It was a pretty strange situation. It's just one of those bizarre things that he managed to walk away from but you roll the dice when you play that game."
