A motorcyclist critically injured in a crash not long after police had to abandon chasing it has been transferred to Waikato Hospital.
The motorcyclist was injured after slamming into a car just after 9am on the corner of Fairy Springs Rd and Old Quarry Rd.
"Police initiated a pursuit after the motorcyclist failed to stop around 8.58am," a police spokeswoman said. "The pursuit was abandoned four minutes later at 9.02am.
The motorcyclist has suffered extremely serious injuries. Photo/Ben Fraser
"Approximately eight minutes later police were advised of the crash involving the same motorcycle."
Two St John ambulances attended the incident and treated four patients, transporting them to Rotorua Hospital.
One was in a critical condition, two were moderate and one was minor.
A Lakes District Health Board spokeswoman confirmed this morning the motorcyclist had been transferred to Waikato Hospital and two other patients from the car were treated in the Emergency Department before being discharged.
A Rotorua Daily Post photographer on the scene said the motorcycle was sitting in the middle of the road as emergency services staff worked to clean up the scene.
He said there was also a white car which had a lot of damage on the side.
The crash happened just after 9am on the corner of State Highway 5 and Old Quarry Rd. Photo / Ben Fraser
He said police, ambulance, fire and two tow trucks attended.
There was a traffic diversion in place for northbound traffic going down Old Quarry Rd.
Cafe Baraco employee Waiata Monika, 18, whose workplace is on the corner where the crash happened, said they did not hear or see the crash, but she did see some people get out of their cars and direct other vehicles to go down Old Quarry Rd.
One person commented on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page that it was a really loud bang and others said they hoped the driver of the car was okay.
No further details, including details about the motorcyclist, were available at this stage.
