Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett says a police officer remains in a critical condition after being hit by a fleeing driver in Palmerston North overnight.
Superintendent Bennett says the two young people who were arrested were 14 and 15 years old.
He says the officer was a young father and known to be a “good bloke”. The officer was still in critical condition and was on a ventilator.
Bennett said the driver had been signalled to stop about 2am on Amberley Avenue but allegedly fled.
“Minutes later, the vehicle, which was not being pursued, hit a Police officer laying spikes on Kairanga Bunnythorpe Road. The officer suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Wellington Hospital, while a second officer was treated for minor injuries.
“The circumstances of what occurred remain under investigation. From our initial enquiries, the vehicle appeared to be stolen.”
“After fleeing, the vehicle was monitored as it travelled out of the city. The officer was positioned behind his patrol car preparing to deploy spikes at a driveway between Rongotea Road and Gillespies Line,” Superintendent Bennett said.
“The suspect vehicle was travelling eastbound on the wrong side of Kairanga Bunnythorpe Road when it struck the Police vehicle, and then the two officers. The seriously injured officer was thrown into the side of a car that was parked in the drive.”
The two youths were taken into custody at the scene.
Police are due to speak to the alleged offenders and charges are being considered, Bennett said.
