Mother, tot hit by car fleeing police

Rochelle Borchert says the police quickly made sure she and daughter Connagh were unhurt. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

A mother driving her daughter to kindergarten was rammed by a car being chased by up to eight police vehicles yesterday.

Rochelle Borchert was sitting at traffic lights with 3-year-old Connagh strapped into a car seat when an out-of-control Holden station wagon "came flying up beside us sideways" and stopped, facing head-on to her Peugeot hatchback.

Mrs Borchert was parked between a car and a truck in traffic at the intersection of Great South Rd and Puhinui Rd in Papatoetoe.

A witness at a nearby business said police cars boxed in the Holden but the driver "put his foot down" and drove into Mrs Borchert's car.

The impact pushed her car backwards into the truck. The driver then got out and lay face down on the ground, where he was surrounded by police.

His passenger ran from the car but was tackled by a car groomer at Wholesale Cars Direct.

A salesman at the yard said seven or eight police cars were chasing the car before it stopped.

"The car came down [Great South Rd] with screeching tyres and smoke, going sideways.

"It came to a stop and police blocked it in, but the driver put his foot down and went straight into the lady driver."

Mrs Borchert said she and her daughter were not injured. She said police were quick to make sure she and Connagh were all right.

"They were so nice and concerned for me and my daughter."

Inspector Darroch Todd of the police northern communications centre said the pursuit lasted about seven minutes.

Counties Manukau police said the car failed to stop for police in Kerrs Rd, Manukau, around 9.20am and was pursued along Wiri Station Rd, where it collided with a patrol car.

The pursuit continued along Plunket Ave and turned into Cavendish Drive, where another police car was hit.

The driver was charged with failing to stop, reckless driving and three counts of failing to stop to ascertain injury.