Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said a police dog unit saw a suspicious vehicle in Elgin Rd, Mornington early on Saturday, and the officer noticed the driver had his face covered.
The driver would not stop for police and a pursuit started, through Mornington then on to the motorway briefly, off into Concord the through the Kaikorai Valley Industrial Area, he said.
When the vehicle was lost the pursuit was abandoned.
But the car was found crashed later in Stone St, the driver nowhere to be seen.
Constable Marcus Saunders' police dog Vann managed to pick up the trail and tracked the man through numerous properties, over fences, and into bushland.
They eventually managed to apprehend the 23-year-old, who received a bite from Vann and was arrested.
When arrested he was found to be on active charges for other alleged offending, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.
He had received medical attention for his dog bite.
