Policeman wedged between patrol car and tree in offender's escape attempt

Manuel Tawhai allegedly used a patrol car to drag an officer 10m before the officer became wedged against a tree. Photo/file

A police officer ended up wedged between a patrol car and a tree at the end of a wild two minute pursuit when a Porirua offender attempted a daring escape in May.

Manuel Renata Te Kuru Tawhai, 26, admitted taking two cars in the dramatic incident, including the police patrol car, though he denies using the car as a weapon against the police officer.

There is no information on whether the police officer was injured, but Tawhai faced no charges of injuring anyone in the alleged offending.

Police had shown up at a house in Porirua with an arrest warrant, but soon spotted Tawhai climbing out an upper-storey window and making a break for it, the police summary of facts said.

Tawhai leapt from the roof to the ground and jumped into the neighbouring yard, where he found a car with its keys inside. The neighbour happened to be a mechanic, and the car belonged to clients.

The owners of the car, who happened to be walking up the road, saw their Mitsubishi Pajero tearing down the street with Tawhai inside and yelled "that's our f***ing car".

Police chased Tawhai for two minutes, during which he reached speeds of 90km/h in a residential zone, crossed on to the wrong side of the road, and allegedly crashed into another vehicle while trying to undertake it at a roundabout.

The summary said Tawhai did not stop to check if anyone was injured in the crash, instead continuing on until he found himself at the end of a cul de sac.

Police tried to block him in, at which point Tawhai allegedly reversed towards the patrol car at speed, causing the patrol car to veer off to the side. He missed a collision by only centimetres, the summary said.

He then tried to pull off a 180 manoeuvre, but rolled the vehicle on its side into a fence.

A police officer then tackled Tawhai when it looked as though he was about to fight the other officer, and a struggle ensued.

"The struggle has continued into the police patrol vehicle, where the defendant has tried to start the car," the summary said.

The keys were not in the car, so Tawhai put the car into drive and took off the handbrake, allegedly dragging the police officer 10m before the officer became wedged against a tree and the car came to a stop.

When Tawhai was finally arrested, he gave them false details, saying he was his brother.

Tawhai appeared in the Porirua District Court today where he pleaded guilty to most of the charges.

However, he denied two counts of using the motor vehicles as a weapon against police, and pleaded not guilty to assaulting police. He has admitted unlawfully taking the vehicles, failing to stop for police, failing to give correct details, reckless driving, and resisting police, along with other charges.

The matter will go to a judge alone trial. A date is yet to be set.