Man evades police by fleeing to island on Waikato River

Police first responded to reports of a 36-year-old man “acting suspiciously” at 2.30pm on Ohinewai Landing Rd. Photo / NZME

A wanted man fled to a small island on the Waikato River in an attempt to evade officers in a dramatic police incident tonight spanning seven hours.

Police first responded to reports of a 36-year-old man “acting suspiciously” at 2.30pm on Ohinewai Landing Rd.

Realising he was a person of interest, police followed the man, but he evaded them by walking into a nearby paddock.

Police were armed as a precaution, a police spokesperson said, and cordons were put in place.

With assistance from the Eagle helicopter and a police dog unit, the man was tracked to a small island on the Waikato River, which he refused to leave.

Police were forced to use a boat to get the man to shore, and took him into custody about 9.40pm.