CONSTABLE INJURED IN FALL AFTER CHASE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31561, 26 December 1967, Page 1

CONSTABLE INJURED IN FALL AFTER CHASE

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 25. A young police constable fell 40 feet down a bank during a struggle with a fugitive at Waiwera early this morning.

The constable, 21-year-old Peter Henry Williams, of the Orewa police, had earlier driven a police car in pursuit of a vehicle said to have been driven bv a man armed with a 22 rifle.

During his struggle. Constable Williams suffered a broken nose, a deep bite on his hand, and concussion.

The man he had been chasing suffered broken ribs and was taken to North Shore Hospital for treatment. The pursuit began about 2.30 a.m. when the proprietor of the Rodney Hotel, Wellsford (Mr N. E. McLeod) was awakened by noises in a bar.

|Mr McLeod, investigating an [open bar door, came face to [face with a man who ran off. “I got into my car to try Ito intercept him, and found he had pranged the station waggon he was in. He had another car.” Mr McLeod rang the police and a search for the vehicle began.

Mr McLeod said three tills of the hotel had been rifled and a considerable sum taken —believed to be about SBOO.

High-speed Chase

Constable W. J. Coleman, of the Orewa police, said a car was sighted and chased to Waiwera where it took the Upper Waiwera Road to Kaukapakapa Highway. Pursued by the police car at speeds up to 90 m.p.h., it

sped as far as the top of the Silverdale Hill where the road rejoined the main highway north.

“The car spun on the Waiwera Hill,” said Constable Coleman, “and the driver jumped out with a bag and ran across the road with the intention of taking to the bush, but he did not realise there was a 40-foot sheer drop.” Constable Williams said the driver of the car tried to wrench a .22 rifle from the ear when it stopped but the rifle appeared to be jammed. “As he fell over the cliff I was right behind him,” he said. “I went over, too, and fell through some trees before I hit the ground. “I struggled with him and we rolled another 20 feet to the road below. I fought with him for a while before three other policemen and a dog arrived on the scene. “He bit a hunk out of my hand, and I got a broken nose and a few scratches.”

Another policeman, Constable D. G. Goldthorpe, was

bitten on the hand as he helped to overpower the fugitive.

The man was later arrested and charged with the burglary of the Rodney Hotel. Mr McLeod praised the police for their work. “They were really terrific,” he said.