Teen swerved at officer: police | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A driver fleeing police after swerving at a policeman reached speeds of 100km through Masterton's peak traffic on Tuesday afternoon.

Acting senior sergeant Carolyn Watson said police did not give chase due to fears for public safety after the Toyota Corolla was driven on the wrong side of the road through a busy roundabout. It later reached speeds up to 100km in a 50km zone, undertaking traffic and clipping another driver, she said.

Police had received a series of reports about the same car on Monday for making loud backfiring sounds around town.

On Tuesday afternoon the Corolla was stopped by a patrol car when a passenger was spotted "leaning out the rear window yelling abuse," Mrs Watson said.

At 4:40pm the 18 year old Masterton man, now driving the car, saw a police officer on foot in Dixon Street and swerved the car at him.

The car didn't come close to the officer, and "his manner of driving appeared to be to get the attention of the police rather than a direct threat," Mrs Watson said.

The man was known to police, and after inquiries were made, he "took off" in another vehicle away from police on South Road towards Kuripuni, driving through the wrong side of the busy Kuripuni roundabout.

Police followed, but did not give chase fearing a pursuit would become dangerous. The man was later clocked travelling 100km an hour in a 50 km zone, Mrs Watson said.

Soon afterwards he clipped another motorist while undertaking them outside the St James shops. No one was hurt, but the clipped car received some minor damage, Mrs Watson said.

The driver was found at a Kuripuni Street address later that evening and arrested. He has been charged with driving while disqualified, failing to stop, failing to stop and ascertain injury, and may face charges in relation to the loud backfiring, Mrs Watson said.

His two male passengers, aged 17 and 18 were found hiding and arrested for unlawfully being on a property, but later released without charge, she said.

Mrs Watson said police wanted to thank people who helped officers who were following the car. "His manner of driving meant they knew we might have been looking for him. There were people pointing his direction everywhere, which was pretty cool," Mrs Watson said.