11-year-old boy crashes car trying to flee police

Photo / File

An 11-year-old boy was lucky to escape injury after crashing his parents' car into a truck while trying to flee police.

The incident happened at a roundabout in Pukekohe, south of Auckland, about midday today.

Sergeant Noel Foster of Counties Manukau Police said an officer, who was looking for three youths in connection with a robbery, spotted the child driving at speed.

He attempted to follow the car, which was travelling between 80km/hour and 100km/hour but was unable to catch up to it.

The boy was carrying two passengers, but was able to drop them off, Mr Foster said.

The boy then passed another police car, which began to follow it with its sirens on.

Shortly afterwards, the boy crashed the vehicle into the side of a truck at a roundabout. Luckily nobody was injured, Mr Foster said.

"It all happened in a short amount of time.

"He's taken his parents' car, he's seen police looking for these other people and panicked."

The incident did not constitute a police pursuit because it was over before that could properly happen, he said.

The child, who was too young to be charged was now with relatives, Mr Foster said.
He had been referred to the Youth Aid section as well as Child Youth and Family.