Two Te Puke police officers were injured when a car being pursued by other police hit the back of their car on the outskirts of Te Puke this afternoon.
Inspector Gavin Macdonald, of the police Northern Communications Centre, said the two constables had received whiplash and minor injuries in the incident,
in which the male offender also received minor injuries.
"The offending vehicle drove through roadworks. Traffic was stopped waiting for traffic to come through from the other end. The offender has driven at speed through that. He's been pursued for about eight minutes."
The pursuit along State Highway 2 began at Matata and finished outside the Te Puke Golf Course.
Mr Macdonald said the police car was trying to keep ahead of the offending car to lay down road spikes to halt the pursuit.
"The offending vehicle ran into the back of the police vehicle that was in front of them."
The offender and the two constables were taken to Tauranga Hospital. Mr Macdonald expected the two police officers to be off work for at least a day.
The incident is being investigated by Tauranga police.
- NZPA
