A man was killed and his wife seriously injured after a stolen car fleeing from police crashed into their vehicle on State Highway 1 north of Hunterville yesterday.
Wally Charlie Fischer, 54, of Dargaville, died instantly when a Honda Prelude reported stolen from Hamilton last week crashed into his vehicle nearthe Ohingaiti viaduct about 8.30am.
Mr Fischer's wife, Doreen, was in Palmerston North Hospital in a serious condition last night.
Police have denied they were in a high-speed pursuit of the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash.
A 22-year-old Hamilton man was arrested and will appear in the Wanganui District Court today.
He faces charges of manslaughter, dangerous driving causing injury, driving while disqualified, receiving stolen property, and failing to remain stopped after a motor accident.
Inspector Neil Wynne of Palmerston North police said the stolen car was seen travelling at high speed on the Desert Road.
Police stopped the car but when an officer approached the vehicle on foot the driver took off again at high speed.
Mr Wynne said police pursued the vehicle at high speed but abandoned the chase when it became too dangerous.
Near Ohingaiti, a northbound police car saw the fleeing vehicle go past travelling south.
By the time the police driver turned his car around and turned on the vehicle's flashing light, the wanted Honda had sped out of sight.
Mr Wynne said the police car came on the crash scene soon afterwards about 1.7km further south.
He described the damage to Mr Fischer's car as "horrific".
Mr Wynne said the driver of the stolen car, who was uninjured in the crash, had attempted to escape the scene of the accident on foot but was apprehended almost immediately.
