After weaving through traffic and running red lights in Oamaru, a Mosgiel man who attempted to ram a police car while trying to flee from police yesterday morning allegedly told them he was driving while high on methamphetamine.
Sergeant Blair Corlet, of Oamaru, said the 23-year-old driver failed a compulsory impairment test for being a drugged driver and provided a blood sample after he was arrested in Waimate about three hours later.
''He drove like a drugged driver, but he actually admitted consuming methamphetamine while driving his car,'' Sgt Corlet said.
''New Zealand Police are committed to keeping the roads safe and this person was reckless to the safety of himself and members of the public by the way he was driving.
''It was good that we managed to get him and that he can go before a judge.''
The man was charged with aggravated failing to stop (two), driving in a dangerous manner, driving while disqualified, and unlawfully converting a motor vehicle. More charges may follow.
About 8.25am police received a driving complaint of a green Mazda Capella station wagon driving at speed and passing on double-yellow lines at Palmerston, Sgt Corlet said.
A short time later police received another complaint about the man, for dangerous driving, further north on State Highway 1.
At 8.40am, the vehicle was located, and it turned down a dead-end road near Alma.
When it turned around, the driver attempted to ram a police car, and the driver fled on to State Highway 1 heading north, police said.
He failed to stop again in Oamaru when he began weaving through traffic while running red lights.
Information from the public identified the station wagon in Waimate, about 45km north of Oamaru, and the man was arrested nearby about 11.40am, Sgt Corlet said.
He remained in custody and would appear in the Dunedin District Court this morning.
