Police car rammed in dramatic Northland arrest after aggravated burglary

A police car was allegedly rammed in Whangārei as a driver in a stolen vehicle tried to get away. Photo / Dean Purcell

Police officers put life and limb on the line to arrest a man who allegedly went on a crime spree in Northland’s Dargaville.

The drama began on Sunday afternoon when there was an alleged aggravated burglary in Dargaville, including a vehicle being stolen.

On Monday, the vehicle was seen travelling on Whangārei’s Port Rd about 11.30am. It was then spotted on State Highway 1 in Whangārei near Rewa Rewa Rd, said Whangārei-Kaipara area commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom.

“The driver proceeded to ram a police vehicle,” she said.

“Thankfully no one was injured and the damage was minimal. However, this type of behaviour is completely unacceptable.”

The vehicle fled towards Maungatapere and was spiked near Tangowahine Valley Rd. With the tyres spiked, the vehicle was abandoned on Ounuwhao Rd and the driver attempted to flee on foot.

“Delta, the police dog unit, tracked the alleged offender along nearby railway tracks, where he surrendered,” Nordstrom said.

“This was yet another great example of police working together to hold people to account for their actions. We will continue to use all resources available to us when these situations arise.”

A 38-year-old was due to appear in Whangārei District Court on Tuesday facing a raft of charges including three counts of assaulting a person with a blunt instrument, failing to stop and dangerous driving.

The arrest comes after a busy week for police staff in Dargaville, with five arrests alone on one day on a variety of matters.

This included a 56-year-old man arrested for an alleged arson of a fence on a rural property in Te Kōpuru. Three other men were arrested in the area for outstanding warrants to arrest.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.