Mystery after crash biker flees scene

A motorcyclist was clocked doing 130kmh in a 70kmh zone before crashing into a van - and then seen getting into the vehicle to be driven away from the scene.

Police are now searching for both the rider and the van driver following the crash, which happened in the centre of Hawera yesterday afternoon.

‘‘What we were told is the motorcyclist crashed into a van, the van driver has picked up the guy and left the scene, so we are looking for the van,’’ Sergeant Andrew Stilton of the Hawera police said.

The motorcycle was seen and briefly pursued some time earlier by police near Manaia, but the chase was quickly aborted.

‘‘The motorcycle took off at great speed so we abandoned the pursuit,’’ Stilton said.

Later, police observed the same motorcycle travelling at 130 kilometres an hour in a 70kmh zone on the outskirts of Hawera.

‘‘He was seen later coming into Hawera township still driving extremely fast, overtaking other cars on the wrong side of the road and a truck.

‘‘We didn’t attempt to pursue it again due to the nature of the driving, but five minutes later we got this call,’’ Stilton said from the crash scene, at the intersection of High St and Victoria St.

Police put bollards on the ground to stop traffic while they pushed the damaged white Yamaha Genesis 250 motorcycle off the road.

‘‘Traffic was diverted around the scene while debris and the machine were removed from the road,’’ Sergeant Stilton said.

A tow truck arrived soon afterwards to take the bike away from the crash site.

It was not known if the motorcyclist was injured.

Any information on either of the drivers should be reported to Hawera police.