The police officer was struck while laying spikes to stop Strickland at Te Teko. Photo / File
The police officer was struck while laying spikes to stop Strickland at Te Teko. Photo / File
Twenty-six year old Joshua Strickland will serve more than five years in prison for running down a Whakatane police officer who was laying road spikes during a police chase at Te Teko in December.
Strickland appeared for sentence by video link before Judge Louis Bidois in the Whakatane District Courttoday.
He earlier admitted theft of tobacco from a dairy, dangerous driving, failing to stop and aggravated wounding.
Judge Bidois said Strickland took off in his car after shoplifting the tobacco and was spotted by a police officer.
A chase began during which Strickland drove at 110kmh in a restricted speed zone, and veered across the road to avoid the road spikes, running down Constable Scott Woodsford who was trying to get out of the way.