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Charges laid against a man accused of causing Friday's motorway mayhem indicate that he fired at least 10 times at police, including at an officer in the police helicopter.
Stephen Hohepa McDonald, 50, briefly appeared in the Auckland District Court yesterday on numerous charges in connection with a shootout with police on the Northwestern Motorway.
The incident resulted in armed offenders squad members accidentally shooting 17-year-old courier driver Halatau Naitoko.
The charges include 10 of using a firearm against police officer.
McDonald, a 50-year-old unemployed New Lynn resident, has two teenage boys and is estranged from his wife. Four family members travelled from Hamilton to be in court.
Tall and thin, with black drooping moustache and long sideburns, McDonald stood in the dock and glanced at family in the public gallery.
His lawyer, Roger Chambers, and Crown prosecutor Aaron Perkins had already agreed to seek McDonald's remand to February 5.
McDonald entered no plea and made no application for bail
Within minutes, the remand in custody was consented by the presiding justice of the peace and McDonald was led out of the courtroom by police.
Mr Chambers said McDonald had no recollection of anything that occurred five days before.
"The only part he does remember is a flat-bed truck on the Northwestern Motorway."
Mr Chambers said McDonald was "pretty upset" after being told only on Sunday that Mr Naitoko had died.
"He is suffering emotionally and physically."
Mr Chambers said: "It appears this saga started about January 6-7 with taking of a motor vehicle by someone."
