Two-year-old hurt in police chase

File photo / Martin Sykes

A two-year-old girl received minor injuries when a police pursuit ended in a head-on crash between a patrol car and a fleeing offender in Hamilton this morning.

Police said the pursuit started a man driving a white Ford falcon accelerated away from a routine stop on Seddon Rd at about 11.30am.
The officer reported a pursuit and gave chase in the direction of the fleeing car, police said.

Initial findings showed the fleeing driver skidded off the road on a bend - striking a signpost, tree, traffic island and power-pole before accelerating back the way he came and hitting the pursuing officer's car head-on.

A two-year-old who had been sitting in his front seat of the fleeing car was taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked for a minor head injury and the police officer received lacerations to his head.

Inspector Karen Henrikson said she was "amazed and relieved" the girl did not receive more severe injuries.

Witnesses claimed the offender, who wasn't injured, climbed over the girl in an attempt to escape, she said.

"Given the events described by the witnesses we are very thankful the girl escaped serious injury and no other members of the public were involved."

A man arrested near the scene of the crash was taken back to the Hamilton Police Station to be interviewed, Ms Henrikson said.

- NZ HERALD STAFF