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An Auckland driver fleeing from police sped through a red traffic light before his car collided head-on with another car on a busy city road yesterday.
Three people were taken to Auckland hospital following the crash. Mt Albert Rd was closed between Rowan Rd and St Andrews Rd for two hours.
Police said it was lucky more people were not injured because both cars ended up on the wrong side of the road and crossed footpaths while skidding out of control.
Senior Sergeant Marty Brown said about a minute before the crash, police had seen a BMW speeding near Mt Smart Rd in Royal Oak about 1pm and tried to stop it.
But the driver failed to stop. He drove along Mount Albert Rd at speed and through a red light at Pah Rd, forcing the officers to abandon the pursuit and pull over, Mr Brown said.
Within one minute, and just 1km from where the pursuit was abandoned, officers in another police patrol car found the car crashed into a silver Toyota Altezza.
Tyre marks from the BMW stretched about 50m at the crash scene and debris from both cars was strewn over a wide area.
A Serious Crash Unit investigator said the BMW was travelling "pretty fast" but the exact speed was not known.
It drove along the footpath before veering head-on into the Toyota. The Toyota's male driver was taken to Auckland Hospital with back pain.
The driver, who police believed was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered a deep gash to the forehead and had chest pain, and a passenger received minor injuries.
Mr Brown said he was confident police acted appropriately during the chase.
"As far as I'm aware the policy and procedure was adhered to and they showed good judgment in stopping when they did."
The driver of the BMW was likely to face charges of failing to stop for police, speeding and reckless driving causing injury.
Police professional standards officers would review the case and it would be decided from there if the crash would be in investigated by the Police Complaints Authority.
The Toyota smashed through a bush and part of a wooden fence at Tom Lintern's flat.
The 19-year-old Auckland University student shares the flat with three others but was the only one home.
"I was daydreaming looking out the window and I heard this screeching noise and the car came flying into our section.
"Within a minute four cop cars were on the scene ... within 10 minutes eight cop cars were on the scene," he said. "I rushed out to make sure everyone was okay."
