Police officer 'had to leap for his life'

A police officer allegedly had to leap for his life after a man drove a four-wheel-drive vehicle at him during a Labour weekend rampage.

The alleged offender, Phillip Edwin Galbraith, made no plea in the Greymouth District Court yesterday to charges of using a vehicle as a weapon of assault, reckless driving, failing to stop, refusing to supply a blood specimen, intentionally damaging a car, and disorderly behaviour.

He was remanded in custody.

His alleged rampage through Blackball, near Greymouth, started when police attended a disturbance on Saturday morning.

It was alleged the 42-year-old intimidated and threatened a group of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Sergeant David Cross said Galbraith drove off when he saw two officers arrive, striking a parked car before turning around and bearing down on Constable Paul O'Hara, who said he dived back into his car.

Galbraith allegedly drove down a footpath for several metres, crossed a ditch, went back on to the road, then crashed into a pursuing police car.

He was pulled out of his vehicle and subdued.

- NZPA