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A fugitive wanted for aggravated robbery drove at more than 100km/h through suburbs and caused three crashes in a bid to elude police.
Billy Matara, 27, was arrested after being tackled by police officers, moments after crashing head-on into a Mercedes and running from his Nissan Skyline on busy Onewa Rd on Auckland's North Shore.
Police and witnesses to the 15-minute chase were amazed that no one was seriously injured and that more people weren't involved as the Skyline sped through 10km of residential streets.
At times, Matara drove at more than 100km/h and travelled on the wrong side of the road in an area that is home to several pre-schools.
Police were on their way to an address looking for Matara when he drove past them on Tramway Rd in Beach Haven and the chase began at 2.03pm.
Within 16 minutes, three crashes - one involving an unmarked police stationwagon - had occurred.
The final smash in Birkenhead saw Matara's Nissan Skyline crash head-on at high speed into a white Mercedes owned by Browns Bay insurance broker Mark Dryden, 64, who suffered minor injuries.
Witness Janek Fraser, 25, said he was painting an Onewa Rd home when he heard the speeding car and the police Eagle helicopter hovering above and went to investigate.
The Nissan passed him twice, both times overtaking traffic on the wrong side of the road.
"We could hear all the screeching of the tyres and the helicopter so we came out to have a look and that's when we saw the Skyline come down on the wrong side of the road," he said.
"It was overtaking a bus. The white Mercedes swerved to the left to avoid the car and then the Skyline locked up its brakes and crashed straight into it head-on.
"We started walking up and the guy in the Skyline jumped out of the passenger's side and ran off down one of those driveways."
Another witness said Matara was caught and taken away, barefoot and bleeding from the forehead.
The Mercedes' driver, Mr Dryden, said he was "a bit sore", after receiving cuts to his hands and legs and a bruised ankle in the crash.
"I'm not worried about the car. I'm still alive and they've got the twerp - that's all I care about. Hopefully he'll go away for a long time and stop this sort of thing happening again."
Matara will appear in the North Shore District Court today on eight charges, including aggravated robbery, reckless driving and failing to stop and ascertain injury after a crash.
Police want witnesses to call (09) 488-6200.
