Man arrested after 50km pursuit

File photo / Martin Sykes

A man has been arrested after a 50 kilometre police pursuit and four-hour long helicopter search near Rotorua.

Police said the Rotorua Armed Offenders Squad was called to a domestic dispute at a rural property at Golden Springs, about 40km south of Rotorua, around 7.30pm yesterday.

A man, believed to be armed, had already fled by car when police arrived and refused to stop at a checkpoint, Detective Sergeant Kevan Verry said.

Police pursued the man for about 50km through several rural roads and onto State Highway 1, reaching speeds of up to 150km an hour.

During the pursuit the man stopped his car and deliberately tried to rammed the pursuing police cars.

Two cars were hit, one damaged badly enough that it had to withdraw from the pursuit, Mr Verry said.

The man then drove his car into the Waikato River and swam to a nearby bank where he hid.

The Taupo based Youth Town Trust Rescue helicopter used a spotlight to search for the man for four hours. He was found just before 2am by AOS staff and arrested.

He will appear in the Tokoroa District Court today on driving and assault charges.

- NZPA