Drink driver crashes during police pursuit

File photo / Greg Bowker

A repeat drink driver collided with a police car during a pursuit in Hamilton on Thursday, after fleeing a checkpoint.

Waikato police said that the vehicle did a u-turn and sped off after seeing a checkpoint on Grange Avenue in Hamilton about 4pm.

Police pursued the man for 10km. He only stopped after colliding with a police car that had tried to halt him in Whatawhata village, causing minor damage.

The driver - who blew a breath alcohol reading of 804mcg, over twice the legal limit - was found to be disqualified from driving and was already on bail for drink driving and driving while disqualified.

"This is just the type of dangerous recidivist drunk driver we want off our roads. It was an excellent result by our staff," Waikato district road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said.

He said bail would be opposed when the man appeared in Hamilton District Court today.

- NZPA