Driver has seizure, crosses centre line in Te Awamutu

  • 10/04/2018
Sergeant Rob Pierce was able to rescue a driver who was having a seizure while on the road.
Sergeant Rob Pierce was able to rescue a driver who was having a seizure while on the road. Photo credit: Facebook/ Waikato Police

A man has been rescued by police from a life-threatening situation after he had seizure while driving near Te Awamutu on Monday.

Sergeant Rob Pierce noticed a vehicle holding up traffic and straddling the centreline on Paterangi Road in Te Awamutu, and tried to pull over the car but the driver did not appear to notice.

He then saw the car move to the wrong part of the road, and when he pulled alongside it he noticed the driver gazing ahead and paying no attention to his surroundings.

The vehicle was in a 100km area, and Sergeant Piece knew he had to step in immediately.

He positioned his patrol car in front of the vehicle, and began to slow it down using his own car.

Both cars eventually ended up slightly off the road, and on the correct side. Sergeant Pierce put his handbrake on and parked his vehicle, while the man behind him still had his foot on the accelerator causing his wheels to spin in the gravel.

The officer hurried to the vehicle and turned it off, after an initial struggle searching for the push start button as it was a modern car.

The man was uninjured but was still suffering from a seizure, and the officer pulled him out to help while waiting on paramedics to arrive.

A truck driver who had been stuck behind the car did a "brilliant job" helping to manage traffic, Waikato Police said.

Newshub.