Man charged over Whangārei tailgating incident

A 31-year-old man will appear in Whangārei District Court today after an alleged dangerous driving incident during which they failed to stop for police.

Police received a complaint from a member of the public around 9.20am on Thursday reporting a vehicle travelling on Western Hills Drive tailgating and overtaking on blind corners.

Whangārei area prevention manager Senior Sergeant Dave Wilkinson said when officers signalled for the driver to stop, they instead began overtaking other vehicles in a no-passing zone.

“Road spikes were then successfully deployed and the vehicle was spotted shortly after emitting smoke from its tyres.”

Wilkinson said the vehicle eventually pulled into a petrol station where a man was taken into custody.

“There is simply no excuse for this sort of behaviour on our roads, and police will continue to do our part so that no one is harmed on our roads.

“However, these incidents must be reported to police so we can investigate and make appropriate follow-up inquiries.”

He encouraged anyone who experiences similar driving behaviour to call 111.

The 31-year-old man has been charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of cannabis and utensils, and refusing to give blood.

Brodie Stone is an education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.