It was a terrifying start to the week for a Lower Hutt couple when a fleeing driver crashed through the front of their house into their bedroom - and ran off with a 'sorry bro'.
The car crashed into the house on Reubens Farm Lane in Taita around 3.40 this morning.
Police had tried to pull the car over three minutes before the crash.
Residents Whetu and Chanelle were sleeping inside the house when they were jolted awake by an almighty crash.
Whetu said he initially thought he was having a really bad dream.
"The screams from my wife was probably what freaked me out the most, it's still replaying in my head now."
He said he checked Chanelle wasn't injured and jumped out of the window to chase the driver of the car.
"He [the driver] was running across the road about to jump a fence and yelled out 'sorry bro', and I yelled out something far worse."
The two people in the car who ran off were tracked down by a police dog at a house on Taita Dr.
A 30-year-old man has been arrested and is due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court today.
He has been charged with failing to stop, driving while licence suspended and dangerous driving.