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Police are investigating reports a man breached his bail and sexually assaulted a woman in her Auckland home just weeks after ramming a police vehicle and leading officers on a chaotic 28km chase through the city.
The Herald understands the 28-year-old is the same man who was released on bail after being charged with assaulting a person with a blunt instrument, failing to stop, dangerous driving and an assault on the same woman last month. Police told the Herald they opposed bail.
A police spokesperson confirmed they responded to a complaint of sexual assault between two parties known to each other during the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“On attendance, officers arrested a man for breaching bail. During the process he has attempted to evade police and has subsequently been charged with resisting police and escaping police custody,” police said.
He was due to appear in the Auckland District Court yesterday morning.
The Herald understands it is the same man who police believe assaulted the woman before reversing a car into a police vehicle and leading officers on a chaotic 28km pursuit through Auckland last month.
The 28-year-old was arrested last month after assaulting a woman known to him, damaging a police vehicle by reversing a car into it and then fleeing in the car, which resulted in a 28km pursuit across Auckland. Photo / Hayden Woodward
At the time of the February 13 incident, Inspector Peter Raynes said a man was reported to be assaulting a woman known to him in a vehicle parked in a shopping centre carpark near Auckland Airport.
The car drove away and police stopped it on George Bolt Memorial Drive.
“The female driver suffered minor injuries after exiting from the vehicle as it rolled back at slow speed,” Raynes said.
“The male passenger then moved into the driver’s seat and proceeded to reverse into the police vehicle, damaging it.
Police said officers feared for their safety and "briefly presented a firearm" during the incident.
“Airport police staff exited their vehicle, while the offender has performed further reverse manoeuvres towards them.”
Raynes said the staff, who are routinely armed, feared for their safety and “briefly presented a firearm”.
The man then allegedly fled at speed, sparking a chase on the Southwestern Motorway that ended with his arrest in West Auckland’s Te Atatū Peninsula – a 28km journey from Auckland Airport.
A witness told the Herald the vehicle travelled slowly into Te Atatū Peninsula, followed by a line of police vehicles, while the Police Eagle helicopter hovered overhead. Smoke was seen coming from the car’s deflated tyres.
Onlookers filmed the slow pursuit on their phones as it travelled through the main shopping hub of the suburb.
The pursuit ended on Harbour View Rd. The wheels on the suspect's vehicle had been completely torn apart and its rear bumper and tail-light were damaged. Photo / Hayden Woodward
One witness on social media said they counted 13 police cars pass them in Te Atatū during the pursuit.
“The vehicle travelled through the main shopping centre and turned on to Harbour View Rd, coming to a stop at the bottom near the beach before the man abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, being arrested on a nearby street,” another witness said.
A dog team searched the bush and route where the offender fled.
The witnesses said police inspected the vehicle’s plates, as fake plates had been printed and stuck over the original ones.
Images from the scene where the pursuit ended showed wheels on the vehicle torn apart, and a damaged rear bumper and tail-light.
The man was charged with two counts of assaulting a person with a blunt instrument, failing to stop, dangerous driving and assault on a person in a family relationship. He appeared in the Manukau District Court on February 13.
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
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