Police pursuit

A man was killed when his vehicle hit a power pole during a police pursuit in Taranaki last night.

A station wagon which hit another car before smashing into a power pole, killing one of the two occupants, was being followed by police after being seen doing a "wheelie".

When is a pursuit not a pursuit? When it is following a "fleeing" driver, according to New Zealand Police.

Police say the fault for any crashes or injuries that followed three pursuits in the South within 48 hours sits squarely at the door of the drivers and motorcyclist they pursued.

An unlicensed motorcyclist was allegedly travelling at 148kmh before he crashed his bike into a ditch during a police pursuit north of Balclutha yesterday.

A teenager, who ran from police and then drove off at speed, colliding with another vehicle in central Dunedin yesterday, is lucky he did not kill innocent bystanders, police say.