Charged man crashed vehicles, fled, bit police dog

NEW PLYMOUTH: A man has bitten a police dog while fleeing police.

The 33yearold man was due to appear in New Plymouth District Court yesterday on driving, dishonesty and violence charges.

Between 9.30pm and 10.30pm on Monday, the man allegedly crashed his vehicle into several parked cars and other structures in the suburb of Bell Block.

When the vehicle became inoperable, he broke into a residential property and demanded the occupant’s car keys.

He took the vehicle and again drove recklessly, crashing into parked cars.

After abandoning the second vehicle, police believe the man approached the occupants of two other houses and demanded keys to their vehicles.

Detective Sergeant Gerard Bouterey says the man was located by police a short time later but he fled the scene.

‘‘A police dog was used to track him down but the man has fought with the dog, slamming it into the ground and a concrete wall, and biting its head.

‘‘The dog is recovering well. He’s . . . not expected to suffer any longterm side effects.’’

The man was also injured and was taken to hospital. — NZME