Police chase risked lives, says witness

Areta Te Huia says the police paid no regard for safety. Picture / Hawke's Bay Today

Pakipaki has a problem with speeding drivers - in police patrol cars.

When a black car, followed by two police cars, zoomed through the community near Hastings on Wednesday, visitors were about to be welcomed from the footpath on to the marae for a tangi and children were playing on the footpath and in a nearby playground.

It was a close call, according to resident Areta Te Huia, and one that happens all too often in the small com-munity.

"We heard all the sirens and thought there must have been a big accident, but it just kept getting louder and louder until it was right outside," Ms Te Huia said.

The car being chased slowed down as it went through the village but the police cars continued speeding to catch up to it.

"They had no regard for who may have been around. Lots of children play along the road here," Ms Te Huia said.

"If they had gone out of control they would have taken out the play area."

The chase came into Pakipaki from "the Wellington way" but police could have caught up to the car quicker if they had taken the other route, she said.

"The chase should have been aborted when they saw there were children around. Everybody was calling to see if everyone was all right.

"I called my grandmother to tell her that her mokopuna [grandchild] was all right."

Ms Te Huia was unable to determine how fast the police cars were going through the 50km/h zone but said "it wasn't 50, that's for sure".

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith said the car was being chased for doing excessive speeds and the chase was eventually aborted when the pursuit came into Hastings.

The patrol car would have been travelling between 70 and 80km/h but the driver had not perceived any risk, he said.

"In any car chase, drivers take in all environmental factors and if there is any danger, will stop pursuing."

Police are still making inquiries into the identity of the driver of the black car they were chasing.

This is not the first time a car chase has caused concern in the Pakipaki community.

"Another time the police chased a car right around my house," Ms Te Huia said.

Angered Pakipaki resident Jessie Munro asked the Hastings District Council for speed humps or a lower speed limit in 2004 but her request was turned down by councillors who did not believe there were enough cars speeding through Pakipaki to warrant the cost of the changes. 

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY