Two people have been seriously injured after a head-on crash involving a stolen car on Auckland’s Northern Motorway this morning.
The crash happened around 6.20am at the Wainui off-ramp and led to a two-hour-long closure of the motorway.
One of the vehicles involved, a stolen Toyota Aqua driven by a youth, entered the Northern Motorway at the off-ramp and drove against the flow of traffic.
“The car travelled roughly 50 metres before it collided with an unsuspecting member of the public, who effectively had no time to react,” Inspector Danny Meade said.
Police had been tracking the vehicle after it was stolen from a Constellation Drive address overnight and was spotted in Westgate at around 5.35am.
The Eagle helicopter spotted the car and followed it as it drove along SH18 and onto the Northern Motorway.
“Near Oteha Valley Road, Police signalled to the driver to stop, but the vehicle’s allegedly fled at speed.”
The vehicle was not pursued, with Eagle continuing to monitor it as it travelled through Wainui.
“While officers on the ground were preparing spike strips, the driver, for some unknown reason, entered the motorway in the wrong direction,” Meade said.
“It is incredible that nobody died.”
A scene examination was carried out by the Serious Crash Unit, and the motorway reopened around 8.15am.
Inspector Meade told 1News an investigation into the crash was ongoing and both drivers were being treated in hospital.
Charges were being considered against the youth alleged to have been driving.
