Driver crashes into power pole following short police pursuit in Whangārei

A 25-year-old woman faces charges of careless driving, failing to remain stopped, driving while forbidden and failing to stop for police. Photo /Tania Whyte

A witness has described seeing a car going so fast it rounded a corner on two wheels just before crashing into a power pole.

Grandmother Pamela Bishop was with her two granddaughters Ashley Lim and Meteria Pakau collecting firewood when she saw the speeding car on George St in Hikurangi just after 10am yesterday."We heard this car coming like the clappers ... it came round the corner and was going so fast we couldn't tell if it was a male or a female driving," Bishop said.

Witnesses to the crash were Ashley Lim, 12, Meteria Pakau, 10 and grandmother Pamela Bishop. Photo /Tania Whyte

"It went round the next corner on two wheels. The next thing you heard was an almighty crash when it hit the power pole."

Bishop said she saw a police car with flashing lights go past.

Curiosity got the better of Bishop and she went to look at the damage to the car.

"It's pretty munted and lucky the pole hit the passenger's side. She could have saved herself a lot of trouble by just stopping for police."

She said it was lucky no one was on the grass verge at the time. A line of all terrain vehicles from Rouse Motorcycles were also on the grass verge and were avoided in the crash.

Police Senior Sergeant Steve Dickson confirmed officers had been conducting a check point in Hikurangi, checking people were wearing seatbelts, were correctly licensed and were driving sober.

The female driver passed through the check point but allegedly failed to remain stopped and drove off.

Dickson said following a short police pursuit the driver crashed into a power pole.

A woman was taken to Whangārei police station where she was interviewed and charged with careless driving, failing to remain stopped, driving while forbidden and failing to stop for police. She will appear in Whangārei District Court on Monday.