Police officer injured in 'frenzied' machete attack

A police officer was attacked from behind with a machete and seriously injured in a "frenzied attack" after pulling over a car seen driving erratically near the Rangitikei town of Taihape early this morning.

The officer stopped the red Mazda 323 hatchback 7km north of Taihape around 6.20am, after police received reports about the northbound car.

It appeared the officer got the driver's details and was returning to his car to do a radio check when he was attacked from behind with a machete, Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said.

The officer, in his 50s, was in a serious but stable condition and underwent surgery at Palmerston North Hospital this afternoon.

As well as receiving deep cuts to his head and nearly losing a finger, he suffered a fractured jaw and eye socket, and had several skull fractures.

"I think the most telling of all the injuries, that provides you an appreciation of what he went through, are the horrific defence injuries," Mr Bensemann told NZPA.

Members of the public stopped shortly afterwards and rang police, but the officer was also trying to radio for help during the attack.

"It was really quite unexpected, it was a routine stop," he said.

"Many of those types of stops are performed in their hundreds throughout the country on a daily basis."

The two occupants of the car, stolen from a Feilding house, drove off after the "frenzied attack" but crashed not far away and were caught by police.

Two males, aged 18 and 14, will appear in Whanganui District Court on Monday charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and assault. More serious charges would be laid in due course.

"He's a very lucky man," Mr Bensemann said.

- NZPA