Shot fired as motorist flees

A shot was fired at a motorist after he stopped to find out why a man was crouching in the middle of State Highway 5 at 11.30pm on Friday night, police said today.

The incident was being treated as a case of attempted aggravated robbery as Napier and Taupo police continued their investigations into the incident today.

Sergeant Mal Lochrie said the motorist told police he had been driving from Napier to Taupo when he spotted someone crouching in the middle of the road about 1km from the Tarawera Tavern.

He told police he slowed and stopped to determine whether the person needed assistance and as a result, he had a gun pointed at him.

"He was told to get out of his vehicle," Mr Lochrie said.

Instead, he "put the pedal to the metal" and drove on, his car glancing the gunman and knocking him to the ground.

The man told police that as he accelerated away he heard a shot fired.

When he arrived in Taupo he went to the police station and reported the incident.

He described the gunman as a clean-shaven Caucasian, in his 30s and wearing a checked bush-style shirt.

Police described the incident as "a strange one" and appealed for anyone who may have seen the offender or heard a shot in that area at the time, to contact police.

Police were also seeking sightings of the victim's silver Mazda MS6 car on the Napier-Taupo highway as part of piecing the investigation together.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY