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A man running away from police and a police officer pursuing him were airlifted after both ended up stuck on an island in the middle of a swollen river.
Senior sergeant Greg Brown, of Hastings Police, said last night the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter had to pick up the man and police officer from an island in the middle of the Ngaruroro River near Hastings.
The man had jumped into the river to try and avoid police who were in pursuit.
However, he and a police officer who swam out after him both ended up stuck on an island in the middle of the river. Both men were airlifted a short distance to waiting police officers near the edge of the river.
Mr Brown said the saga began earlier in the day when police tried to stop a Ford Telstar car on State Highway 50, Tikikino, Waipawa after it clocked speeds at 130kmh in a 100kmh zone.
Police pursued the car after it failed to stop. There were also two 18-year-olds in the car, Mr Brown said.
The driver later lost control of the vehicle, abandoned it and ran off on foot.
He was pursued by several police officers before he entered the swollen Ngaruroro River.
Constable Jason Bryant followed the man into the water, Mr Brown said.
As the pair could not cross the flooded river, they swam to an island in the river.
Mr Brown said the 28-year-old man would appear in Hastings District Court on Monday on charges that would include counts of reckless driving and failing to stop.
He had had an arrest warrant issued in June for his interim recall to prison and had escaped from the Napier police station on June 19, police said.
- NZPA
