Car smashes into ANZ bank

Photo / Nelson Weekly

A car fleeing from a police pursuit has narrowly avoided pedestrians as it crashed into the front doors of an ANZ bank overnight.

The Toyota had already been chased by police through a car park before it crashed into the Nelson bank just before 9pm.

Police said they had attempted to stop the Toyota on St Vincent St after watching it turn to avoid a compulsory checkpoint.

The car initially pulled into the kerb but as an officer approached the driver accelerated away, police said.

The fleeing vehicle drove into a car park in front of the Warehouse and was followed by police as it continued out on to Hardy St.

Police said the pursuit was abandoned after less than a minute "due to the speed of the offending vehicle".

The Toyota continued into the central city "at high speed", colliding with a taxi at the Trafalgar St intersection.

"The driver then lost control, narrowly avoiding a number of pedestrians in the area before crashing through the main doors of the ANZ bank," police said.

The 31-year-old male driver of the fleeing car was arrested.

Police said he was a disqualified driver and tested positive for alcohol.

He is due to appear in the Nelson District Court on Monday.

The four occupants in the fleeing vehicle and the driver of the taxi were uninjured.