Northland woman charged with failing to stop for police, after pursuit, serious crash near Kaitaia

A woman has been charged with failing to stop for police, after a pursuit and crash at Kaingaroa in Northland. Map / Google

A woman has been charged following a police pursuit and car crash in which two other women were seriously injured.

The car initially stopped for Kaitaia police at around 5.30 last evening near Awanui in the Far North but then drove off before officers could speak with the occupants.

Police pursued the car along State Highway 10 towards Taipa for about 7km.

The car hit a steel barrier at the side of the road near Kaingaroa and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, whose two male occupants suffered minor injuries.

The police said this morning that a 35-year-old Kaitaia woman had been charged with "failing to stop when followed by red and blue flashing lights".

She is scheduled to appear in the Kaitaia District Court at 10am tomorrow.

One of the injured women was taken to Kaitaia Hospital by ambulance. The other was flown to Auckland City Hospital.

A Police investigation into the incident has begun, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority would be notified, said Inspector Rikki Whiu, the acting Northland district commander.

"We want to remind drivers that if you're asked to pull over by police, please stop. The risk of fleeing police can result in serious injury or death, which we are trying to avoid.

"The risk of not stopping is not worth your safety, your passengers' safety, or that of other road users."