More pleas to come
The 45-year-old Kenana man who was allegedly behind the wheel of a Toyota Hilux ute that left a trail of damaged vehicles, including a police 4WD, when he burst through an attempted police stop at Lake Ohia on January 25 was further remanded in custody when he appeared before Judge MJ Hunt in the Kaitaia District Court last week.
Murray Andrew Thomas admitted one charge of failing to stop but denied six counts of assault with a weapon (his car), and one apiece of possessing an offensive weapon (a knife), reckless driving causing injury, failing to ascertain injury, and possession of utensils for the consumption of cannabis.
Counsel Richard Parangi told Judge Hunt that more pleas were to come, however, while an application would be made for electronicallymonitored bail in the next few days.
Thomas will next appear in Kaitaia on April 18 for a case review.
Police allege that Thomas twice drove his ute into the rear of a car that had come to a stop on the bridge at the intersection of Inland Rd and State Highway 10, where police were laying road spikes, and reversed at speed into a police 4WD, damaging it and slightly injuring the driver. He was arrested after the ute came to a halt on SH10.