Man alleged to have rammed police car

A driver in Hastings is alleged to have rammed a police patrol car, in an effort to escape arrest.

Police say the 30-year-old was behind the wheel of a car seen doing a burnout on Heretaunga St yesterday.

The car was later pursued in Flaxmere and the chase ended when the vehicle went out of control at the intersection of Swansea Rd and Caernarvon Dve.

Police say the driver of the vehicle rammed the front of a police car in an effort to get away before reversing back into a tree in an adjacent reserve.

The driver and occupants of the vehicle got out and fled.

The driver was chased by two police officers before allegedly throwing a female constable to the ground and punching her male colleague several times in the head.

He was subdued with pepper spray but continued to struggle with the officers until more police arrived and he was arrested.

The male constable suffered bruising and swelling to the back of his head.

The accused is facing a string of driving and assault charges, including a charge of sustained loss of traction, under the "boy racer" Act.

- NEWSTALK ZB