(DIR) Home
        
        
       Green Island mayhem: Driver rams cops and almost hits pedestrian
        
 (HTM) Source
        
       ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        
       A man who rammed a patrol car while fleeing Dunedin police tried to
       steal another vehicle from Green Island homes while armed with a
       weapon, police said.
        
       It has also emerged that the speeding driver narrowly missed hitting a
       pedestrian as he made his getaway after ramming the police car.
        
       Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin police, said the incident
       began when the man allegedly stole a VW vehicle from a Dunedin
       address.
        
       A police patrol spotted the VW speeding on the Southern Motorway at
       10.30am but the driver fled and ended up in a dead-end street in Green
       Island.
        
       The driver continued into a business premises carpark but realised
       there was no escape route so attempted to drive back out past a patrol
       car which was blocking the way.
        
       "He drove into that police vehicle, hitting it and another parked
       vehicle, and narrowing missing an employee of the business in the
       process.
        
       "The male then continued to drive out of the business and has hit a
       third vehicle and carried on."
        
       Police swarmed the area, set up cordons and began searching for the
       man who had dumped the vehicle on Shanks St and run away on foot.
        
       "While he has been running away he has gone into two residential
       addresses with a weapon with the intent to steal another vehicle to
       aid in his escape but has been unsuccessful," Snr Sgt Bond said.
        
       Police arrested a 29-year-old man on Winifred Street and took him into
       custody.
        
       The man failed an impairment test at the police station, Snr Sgt Bond
       said.
        
       "There were no injuries to police staff or the public."
        
       Police were asking any witnesses to come forward, along with anyone
       with CCTV/dash camera footage.
        
       The man was facing 13 charges, ranging from burglary, driving while
       disqualified, failing to stop, unlawfully in yards, and unlawfully
       taking a motor vehicle.
        
       Further charges were likely, Snr Sgt Bond said.
        
       The man was due to appear in the Dunedin District Court tomorrow.
        
        
        
        
       ______________________________________________________________________
                                                 Served by Flask-Gopher/2.2.1