A high speed car chase through Rotorua today ended with the car being spiked and the driver running away from police through a waterway.

Acting Sergeant Regan Framp of the Rotorua police traffic unit said police tried to pull over a vehicle on Clayton Rd about 11am.

He said the driver failed to stop and fled police, reaching speeds of 100km/h in a 50km/h area.

Mr Framp said the vehicle led police around Western Heights. It went through roadworks and on at least one occasion was on the wrong side of the road.

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Mr Framp said the car ran over road spikes placed by police on Old Quarry Rd and drove into the Koutu area where it was dumped on Logan St, near the intersection with Fenruss St.

He said the driver ran off and crossed a waterway at the back of the Waikite Rugby Clubrooms, where police lost sight of him.

A man was then reported to be hiding in the backyard of a property on Matthew Pl. Mr Framp said the man ran from that property, crossing back over the waterway and was arrested by a police officer on Logan St, about 50m from where the vehicle was left.

Mr Framp said a 20-year-old man has been charged with disqualified driving and failing to stop for police.