KEY POINTS:
A 16-year-old on his learner's licence has been arrested after crashing a stolen car into another car during a police chase yesterday.
Three people were taken to hospital with moderate injuries following the crash on Roscommon Rd, in Wiri, near Auckland Airport.
The chase started about 11.30am in
Mt Eden after a patrol car noticed the number plates on a white Subaru did not correspond with the car.
Police said the white car, which reached speeds of up to 120km/h during the chase, lost control a short time later on Roscommon Rd. It crossed on to the other side of the road and crashed into an oncoming grey car.
The middle-aged, female driver of the grey car was taken to Middlemore Hospital with a broken ankle and chest injuries.
Two male passengers in the white car aged 23 and 29 were taken to Middlemore Hospital with moderate head injuries. They were not wearing seatbelts.
The 16-year-old male driver, on a learner's licence, was arrested and faces a number of driving-related charges. He will appear in the Auckland Youth Court next week.
Police said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
The driver tried to flee from the scene by carjacking another car but was caught by an officer from the police dog section.
Inspector Keith Brady said yesterday police were in the process of determining the cause of the crash.
"As part of that inquiry, there will be a review of police pursuit actions in respect of attempting to stop the white vehicle. As well as that, there will be a criminal investigation into the actions of the three occupants of the white vehicle."
He said the matter would also be reported to the Police Complaints Authority because of the nature of the injuries sustained by occupants of both vehicles.
"The authority may determine whether or not they wish to carry out an independent investigation."
Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the car was first spotted in a carpark on the corner of Mt Eden Rd and Symonds St.
"The pursuit continued through Mt Eden village, on to Grange Rd, Dominion Rd and towards Balmoral Rd, at which time a different police vehicle took over and was assisted by the Air Support Unit [Eagle] overhead," she said.
"The land-based police officers lost sight of the offending vehicle once it had gone over Mangere Bridge, but were kept appraised of its progress by Eagle staff until it crashed in Roscommon Rd."