A driver has been arrested after crashing into a power pole following a police chase in Tauranga on Tuesday.
At 2:40pm, police found a vehicle they believed was being driven by a wanted criminal.
Police tracked the driver to the Pyes Pa area and attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver fled. The armed offenders squad was deployed as a precaution.
"Police followed the vehicle through Oropi, back to Tauranga, then over the Kaimai Range and into the Matamata-Piako District," a police spokesperson says.
"The vehicle was spiked at the intersection of SH27 and SH29 at 3:53pm. The vehicle then crashed into a powerpole and the driver was taken into custody."
A witness told Newshub he heard gunfire.
"I counted about 12-14 armed offenders. Plus police dogs, two coppers, Fire and ambulance," they told Newshub.
"Police fired two shots."
However police say that this is incorrect, and no shots were fired either by police or the offender. Police say charges are likely.
Newshub.
