"I turned around and managed to get behind it and confirmed the number plate matched those of the vehicle seen dumping rubbish that morning," said Pahiatua police constable Scott Peel.
Constable Peel tried to stop with the vehicle on Mangahao Road at Mangamutu on May 25 at 1.30pm.
The vehicle fled at high speed, undertook one vehicle, overtook two others on the wrong side of the road getting up to 100km on a 50kph speed zone. It crossed the centre line over the town bridge, forcing oncoming traffic to take evasive action.
Police communications were advised of a fleeing driver and considered the danger of the chase. Approaching Fonterra Dairy Factory the driver turned left onto the railway line and drove 1.5km.
The pursuit was abandoned and other police units were advised of the actions.
"I drove along Scarborough Road with the railway tracks running parallel and observed the vehicle still travelling - getting a bumpy ride along the railway line when it got stuck on the tracks," said Constable Peel.
Police officers formed a cordon to apprehend the driver.
Thirty minutes later, the male, in his early 20s, was still attempting to move from where he was stuck. Police were too far away, across a couple of paddocks, to get access.
They went onto Stan Wolland's property to get onto the railway line either side of the vehicle.
The driver was challenged, complied and was arrested for reckless driving and failing to stop. Stan Wolland and his worker assisted in removing the vehicle off the railway tracks.
The driver was taken back to Pahiatua police station for processing and appeared in court on May 26.
"It was very good work by Nikki O'Leary and Carol Blatchford.
"Without their help police wouldn't have known.
"This reiterates the necessity to call police if suspicious behaviour is witnessed," said Constable Peel.
- Pahiatua Bush Telegraph