Young mum accused of theft allegedly rams police car with her preschooler onboard

Zyla Butler, 26, was remanded on bail without plea on 10 charges after appearing in the Hamilton District Court today.

A young mum is accused of ramming a police car then fleeing at dangerously high speeds with her preschooler daughter in the car, before her tyres were spiked and she crashed into another car.

Zyla Adonia Loudene Monilita Brittany Tigerlilly Butler appeared in the Hamilton District Court this afternoon facing 10 charges over various alleged offending this week.

Butler is also accused of stealing 12 Macpac fleece hoodies from The Base shopping mall in Hamilton, valued at $2400, as well as the theft of three Kathmandu rain jackets worth $1280 on March 7.

Theft charges relate to $1650 worth of groceries from Countdown Cambridge that police say the 26-year-old stole yesterday.

Butler’s vehicle was spotted by police and she allegedly rammed a patrol car, then drove off at speeds of up to 150km/h with her 3-year-old as a passenger.

Police laid spikes on the road causing Butler to lose control of the car, according to court documents, and she allegedly crashed into another motorist, who suffered minor injuries.

She was arrested near Te Awamutu.

Butler now faces three charges of shoplifting, reckless driving causing injury, assaulting police with a weapon, failing to stop, ill-treatment of a child and driving while disqualified.

Her counsel Afitu Veatupu successfully applied for bail before Judge Brett Crowley.

However, Judge Crowley imposed a curfew of between 7pm and 3pm each day along with conditions that Butler not enter Cambridge or The Base shopping centre.

She was remanded without plea to reappear on March 31.