An innocent driver has been critically hurt after a stolen vehicle, monitored by police for nearly two hours from Auckland, smashed head-on into their car near Pōkeno.
The collision happened on State Highway 2 at 3pm when the driver of the stolen vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic while attempting to avoid road spikes, according to police.
The drivers of both cars suffered critical injuries and have been taken to hospital, police said. SH2 is now closed between Avon Rd and Koheroa Rd, with diversions in place.
It came after the stolen car had been tracked by authorities since 1.20pm, police said.
Authorities first “observed” the vehicle on traffic cameras on Dominion Rd in Auckland.
“As a police car approached the stolen car, the driver began driving at high speed and on the wrong side of the road,” a police spokesperson said.
“Due to the manner of driving, police did not pursue the car, but monitored it via Eagle helicopter as it travelled through surrounding suburbs, before heading south on the Southern Motorway, then on to State Highway 2.”
Officers then deployed two sets of road spikes on SH2, attempting to stop the driver.
Police said: “The driver successfully avoided the first set of road spikes.
“He also attempted to avoid the second set of road spikes, swerving into the opposite lane and directly into the path of the oncoming car driven by an innocent member of the public.”
