Police pursuits still turn fatal
The number of people killed during police pursuits has increased every year since 2014.
Police statistics released under the Official Information Act show 29 people were killed between 2013 and 2017 during police pursuits.
The latest deadly chase claimed the lives of a 12-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy when they veered off the road near Palmerston North on Monday. Yet that’s far from the norm. One teenager’s attempt to escape police early yesterday puttered out when the girl’s stolen car ran out of gas.
But not before the 16-year-old South Aucklander led police on a chase from Hamilton to Taupiri.
Yesterday’s chase began in Hamilton around 2.40am when an officer noticed a stolen Mazda Demio being driven in a suspicious manner with its fog lights on.
Police followed the car, Waikato police Senior Sergeant Simon Cherry said, signalling for the car to stop on Peachgrove Rd.
‘‘The vehicle didn’t stop and headed off in pursuit to Taupiri.’’
Along the way the driver allegedly drove the car on the wrong side of the road, reaching speeds of 130kmh in a 100kmh zone.
The police Eagle helicopter was called in to track the vehicle as it headed north.
Spikes were deployed but the driver managed to evade them before finally coming to a stop when the Demio ran out of petrol.
Police arrested a 16-year-old girl, along with a boy and girl aged 13 and 14, at the scene.
All three were from South Auckland.
The driver now faces charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, failing to stop, dangerous driving and possession of instruments for conversion.
She was due to appear in Hamilton Youth Court yesterday. The other two have been referred to Youth Aid.
The incident is the latest in a spate of police chases involving teenagers as young as 12 years old.
And it comes less than 24 hours after two teenagers died when the driver crashed a stolen car into a power pole while fleeing police near Palmerston North.
Their deaths bring the total number of people killed in police pursuits this year to eight.