Car crashes into house as Tauranga driver flees police

A fleeing Tauranga driver was caught driving while forbidden for his 13th time after a police pursuit which ended when he jumped from the vehicle which crashed into a house, causing extensive damage.

Kingi Stanley Tokona, 36, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court yesterday by audio-visual link from prison, pleaded guilty to four driving charges.

The court heard Tokona was disqualified from driving for six months from December 21, 2017.

Yet on February 7, he was seen by police driving in Hamilton St and tried to hide behind a van before running off towards Willow St.

Tokona was arrested a short time later.

Then on April 17 about 11.28pm, when police tried to stop Tokona's vehicle for a routine traffic stop on Truman Lane, he sped away, reaching a speed of about 120km/h in the 80km/h zone.

As he drove passed Sandhurst Drive, Tokona switched off the vehicle lights and continued driving at speed.

After turning left on Tareha Lane, and cutting a blind corner, he drove into a residential driveway and on to a lawn.

Tokona jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving and the vehicle rolled forward into a house, causing extensive damage.

The impact left a hole in the kitchen wall and forced the fridge across the kitchen floor.

Tokona ran into an orchard but was located by police the following morning. He declined to make a statement in explanation for his actions.

He has 12 prior convictions for driving while disqualified or suspended or after his licence had been revoked, the court heard.

Judge Christina Cook further remanded Tokona in custody pending sentencing on June 27.