A Dunedin man who was shot at by police and tried to drown a police dog during a manhunt has admitted a string of crimes. The man’s admissions mean CCTV footage showing part of the dramatic interaction with officers can now be published. Tony Robert Ramsay, 46, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week and pleaded guilty to unlawfully using a vehicle, dangerous driving, two charges of aggravated disqualified driving, failing to stop for police and theft. Ramsay had an active warrant for his arrest from the Invercargill District Court for failing to appear on a driving charge and another warrant from the Gore District Court for breaching release conditions. The manhunt on February 25 began at the Sunnyvale Sports Centre in Green Island, where a stolen Subaru Forester was parked on a grass verge. Three police cars attempted to block his exit, but the defendant launched the vehicle into one of the officer’s cars before fleeing. About an hour later, Ramsay drove to Caltex City Centre North petrol station in Great King St, where he stole $122 of petrol, a police summary said. CCTV footage, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, shows the vehicle at another petrol station, understood to be Z in Kaikorai Valley Rd, being surrounded by three plain-clothed officers with firearms. © Allied MediaCCTV footage shows police surrounding a car. Photo: Supplied They appear to attempt to gain access to the car but are unsuccessful. Meanwhile, a woman pumping fuel nearby dashes away and takes cover behind her vehicle. The video shows the vehicle doing a three-point turn before driving off. The police officers retreat to their vehicles, one of them appearing to drop his weapon on the forecourt as he goes. Southern district commander Superintendent Jason Guthrie said on the day police fired one shot with a pistol in response to the offender driving a vehicle towards a patrol car and officers in his efforts to avoid arrest. No other shots were fired and nobody was injured. The Kaikorai Valley Rd incident was not mentioned in the police summary of facts and a spokesperson said police were unable to comment while the matter remained before the court. OTAGO IMAGES/OTAGO DAILY TIMESArmed police at the Z service station in Kaikorai Valley Rd on the day of the incident. Photo: Gregor Richardson Soon after the incident at the Caltex petrol station, officers saw Ramsay in Three Mile Hill Rd, the summary said. Road spikes were deployed and the defendant abandoned the car on a grass field in Dalziel Rd, continuing his getaway on foot. A police dog tracked Ramsay, who held the dog’s head underwater. The defendant had to be tasered before he was eventually arrested. At the time, police described the defendant as a high-risk offender. “This was a very dynamic incident involving an offender who was highly motivated to avoid arrest and police staff are commended for their efforts in safely resolving this incident,” a statement from Supt Guthrie said. A spokesperson said police self-referred the shooting matter, which they called a “critical incident”, to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, which was standard practice following the discharge of a police firearm. Ramsay was further remanded in custody this week until his sentencing date, scheduled for October. felicity.dear@odt.co.nz
