‘Crazy’ police chase ends in ‘rough sleeper’ arrest

A rough sleeper in a van hit two police cars and rammed another during a chase through Christchurch’s hillside suburbs.

There were reports of up to 10 police cars chasing a white van about 8.15am yesterday.

Police said the chase started on Ferry Rd, Woolston, and finished about 20 minutes later at Hawford Rd, Opawa.

It ended in an arrest of the van driver, a man in his 20s.

Sergeant Stu Martindale said the chase was a ‘‘short pursuit’’.

‘‘It came in initially as a suspicious vehicle; I think he’s been sleeping rough in his van,’’ Martindale said.

‘‘Police have gone to speak to him and he’s tried to get away from us and he’s hit a couple of police cars in the process in trying to evade us.’’

Martindale said the chase ended when the van rammed a police car.

The man would face a charge of aggravated failing to stop. Further charges were likely.

The man had minor injuries and was taken to hospital briefly before he was taken into custody.

Port Hills resident Jody Divett had a bird’s eye view of the police chase.

‘‘There were about half a dozen cop cars all scrambling over each other at full pace along Centaurus Rd towards Port Hills Rd. [It] was crazy, they were overtaking each other and driving the wrong way then turning around to scream back the other way.

‘‘[They were] all going different directions then finally all getting in line and heading the same way.’’

Martin O’Connor heard what sounded shots.

He went outside and saw police had stopped the car. A man jumped out of the van and ran towards officers, knocking some over, he said.

A nearby businessman on Opawa Rd said he heard police sirens and went outside to see what was happening.

He saw more than 10 police cars, three of which were damaged, and the white van parked in the middle of the street. said he like gun