A police officer has serious leg injuries after being hit by a car during a pursuit in the Bay of Plenty, police say.
Eastern Bay of Plenty police area commander Kevin Taylor said the constable had been flown to Waikato Hospital.
Taylor said the constable was laying road spikes at the intersection of SH30 and Kope Drain Rd in Awakeri, near Whakatane, when he was struck by a fleeing driver.
![Police on SH30 stop traffic near the Tauranga turn off. Photo/Katee Shanks](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/L75IUKKOHAH3MTVIRYYUIRFFMM.jpg?auth=c302ca43232aa1bc98935f840949fb9742d087a4402b1b8766f2b5c29cc071e0&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
Police said they had been looking for the car in relation to an alleged petrol drive-off but say the driver failed to stop as instructed.