Puhoi tunnel arrest: Person stopped on Auckland motorway after police car rammed

A police incident involving a fleeing driver this morning ended with a patrol car being rammed and a driver climbing onto the roof of their stationary vehicle on the Northern Motorway.

An Auckland truck driver watched in shock as several police cars rushed past him on State Highway 1 before swarming a black vehicle near the entrance of the Johnstones Hill Tunnel in Ōrewa.

A police spokesperson said the vehicle had rammed a patrol car before stopping on SH1 in north Auckland. Photo / Supplied

The truck driver said the black vehicle had "T-boned" a police car before an occupant of the black car climbed onto the vehicle's roof.

A video of the incident showed a number of police officers surround the black car before grabbing the person.

"[It was] quite surreal. You see this stuff in the media and on TV," the man said.

A police spokesperson said information was received about a suspicious vehicle in Greenlane about 8.30am.

Police at the entrance of Johnstones Hill Tunnel. Photo / via video

"Police attended and attempted to stop the vehicle, however it fled."

The vehicle was tracked as it travelled south to Papakura, before heading back north.

"The vehicle then rammed a patrol car before stopping on SH1 at Ōrewa."

The occupants of the patrol car were not injured and one person has been arrested.

FINAL UPDATE 11:35AM
This incident now fully cleared. ^TP https://t.co/n1dih5kX6b

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) July 28, 2022

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency earlier today had urged drivers wanting to use the northbound route to delay their journey as the road was blocked.