Horse dies after drunk driver crashes stolen float during pursuit

A horse has died at the scene of a crash in which a driver, believed to be drunk, refused to stop for a police and crashed the stolen vehicle and horse float he was driving. Photo / Glenn Taylor

A horse has died at the scene of a crash in Hamilton in which a driver, believed to be drunk, refused to stop for a police and crashed the stolen vehicle and horse float he was towing.

At 6.37pm Thursday police received a driving complaint about an intoxicated man swerving a car towing a horse float containing two horses in the Waikato region.

The 26-year-old man has been arrested on a number of theft charges relating to the vehicle and the horses.

He will face further charges relating to the care and treatment of the horses, as well as a number of driving-related charges, Police said.

Police located the car and indicated for the driver to pull over on Killarney Rd.

The pursing police officers, signalled for the driver to stop with red and blue flashing lights, but did not use sirens so they would not frighten the animals.

The driver acknowledged police, however chose not to stop.

Police followed the vehicle with lights for a short time during when a police vehicle was rammed, causing considerable damage to the patrol car.

The offending vehicle continued through Te Rapa where road spikes were deployed and this punctured both front tyres of the vehicle.

The vehicle and float eventually came to a stop just before the Te Rapa Road and SH1 Interchange. The driver was then taken into custody, believed to be under the influence of alcohol.

Police then attended to the needs of the two horses, one of which was very badly injured.

Police removed the un-injured horse from the horse float into a neighbouring paddock and then contacted a local vet to attend to the injured horse still inside the float.

During the process, with the use of the fire service, the injured horse was freed from the horse float, but a short time later died.

The man would be held in custody to appear in the Hamilton District Court today.