Police block SH30 after a policeman was hit by a car during a police pursuit in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Photo/Katee Shanks
A 26-year-old man who "drove like a maniac" to evade police has appeared in the Opotiki District Court this morning.
Joshua Strickland, 26, of Gisborne pleaded guilty to theft, failing to stop and dangerous driving. He was remanded in custody to appear in the Whakatane District Court on February 7
for sentencing.
The charges follow an incident on Wednesday morning where the man fled from police after he was suspected to have driven off without paying for petrol.
When the driver refused to stop, police gave pursuit and a constable was hit as he was laying road spikes at the intersection of State Highway 30 and Kope Drain Rd in Awakeri.
The police officer was flown to Waikato Hospital, where he remains with serious leg injuries.
