KEY POINTS:
A suspected car thief drove the wrong way down the Northwestern Motorway at 120km/h on just three wheels in a desperate effort to shake off a police pursuit.
The dramatic chase ended last night when the stolen BMW crashed into an oncoming car while trying to exit at an onramp.
The pursuit - one of two which occurred on the motorway at the same time - started at 8.15pm when a patrol car noticed the stolen BMW in Parnell.
Sergeant David Mead, from the Northern Communications Centre, said the car lost a rear tyre but continued on to the Northwestern Motorway before exiting at St Lukes.
Mr Mead said the BMW rammed a police car then got back on the motorway the wrong way, heading west in the north-bound lane until Pt Chevalier. The driver tried to exit at the Great North Rd onramp but collided with a car that was coming on to the motorway.
Motorist Glen Read said he had just gone through the traffic lights before the onramp when he saw the white BMW appear in front of him.
"There he was, coming the other way. He just clipped the back of me and sent me into the kerb.
"He went up on to a couple of wheels and on to his side and then came down as he should have been. The copper said he had come down the road for about three or four ks on just three wheels."
The pursuit was one of two that occurred on the Northwestern Motorway at the same time last night. The second involved a speeding Subaru Forester which was heading north - directly towards the BMW.
"They came off at Patiki Rd in the end which was fortunate because they were heading directly towards the BMW," said Mr Mead.
The Forester was chased along Rosebank Rd but the pursuit was abandoned when speeds reached more than 140km/h. The car and driver were found nearby.
Both male drivers are expected to face charges.
