The male driver of a stolen car who died in a police pursuit in Otara today was 15 years old.
Police have today confirmed the teen was also a passenger in a car spotted driving the wrong way on an Auckland motorway last month.
The 15-year-old was Morocco Tai, of Otara, police said this afternoon.
He had previously been caught on camera as a passenger of a stolen car which was travelling at speeds of up 120km/h in the wrong direction on Auckland's Southern Motorway on September 22.
He was charged with aggravated robbery, endangering transport and aiding a driver in a dangerous manner, in relation to that incident, police said this afternoon.
However, Inspector Dave Simpson would not comment on how the teenager came to be behind the wheel of a stolen car just weeks after his prior driving offence.
"Police did their job when we apprehended him. After that, it's not our issue."
Earlier police said the teen had been at the wheel during last month's incident, but later issued a correction saying he was a passenger.
Today's fatality demonstrated the tragic consequences that could occur when a driver did not stop for police, Simpson said.
Two injured female passengers in today's crash on Bairds Rd were aged 16. One is in a stable condition in hospital while the other remains in a serious condition.
The car, which was stolen earlier from Takanini, hit a tree about one minute after the police pursuit began just before 6am.
"Fleeing driver incidents are incredibly dangerous," Simpson said.
"They are putting not only themselves at risk but also their passengers, police staff and innocent members of our community going about their daily lives."
The vehicle crashed into a tree "less than a minute" after police started pursuing the vehicle, Simpson said.
Bairds Rd resident Alapati Scanlan said he was walking his partner to the bus stop when he saw a vehicle being chased by police.
A police car was following close behind the fast-moving fleeing vehicle when it hit the kerb and drove into a tree, he said.
He was scared and shocked at seeing the incident, he said, but did not approach the vehicle to help because police wouldn't allow him to.