Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown
Two people have serious injuries after a head-on crash on the Northern Motorway at Wainui on Saturday morning.
One of the vehicles involved was a stolen Toyota Aqua that was being tracked by the Police Eagle helicopter.
Moments before the crash, police said the driver entered the Northern Motorway at the Wainui 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," Police Inspector Danny Meade said.
The crash happened about 6.20am and led to a two-hour-long closure of the motorway.
The vehicle being tracked had been stolen from a Constellation Drive address overnight and was spotted in Westgate at about 5.35am.
Eagle located the car and kept watch as it drove along SH18 and onto the Northern Motorway.
"Near Oteha Valley Road, police signalled to the driver to stop, but the vehicle allegedly fled at speed," Meade said.
Meade said the units didn't pursue, however "Eagle kept tracking the car, relaying its movements through a subdivision in Wainui."
"While officers on the ground were preparing spike strips, the driver, for some unknown reason, entered the motorway in the wrong direction.
"It is incredible that nobody died."
The Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination and the motorway reopened about 8.15am.
Inspector Meade said the investigation into the crash was ongoing and both drivers were being treated in hospital.
Charges are being considered against the youth alleged to have been driving the stolen Toyota.
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