A man has been arrested after fleeing police at high speed across Auckland overnight before crashing, then attempting to carjack the ute he hit.  

Police staff on the scene said the vehicle had travelled from West Auckland through the city to Manukau and out to Papakura before colliding with a traffic control vehicle. 

“At this stage, we have one person in custody who is refusing to cooperate with us and give us his name. He’s being taken back to [the] station,” police said. 

A further statement is due to be released today. 

A man has been arrested following the pursuit but was refusing to give police his name last night. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

A Herald photographer who witnessed the fleeing driver pass under Hill Rd in Manurewa said the vehicle had its lights turned off as it sped under the overbridge along State Highway 1. The front wheels had been successfully spiked and the man was driving on rims. 

The police Eagle helicopter was monitoring from above, and police vehicles were following from a distance although were not pursuing the car at that stage, he said. 

The car's wheels were spiked but it was seen speeding from Manurewa on rims before crashing in Papakura. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

A witness who lived near the Beach Rd off-ramp in Papakura said the vehicle came off the off-ramp where it crashed. 

“The man jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to carjack the road workers’ vehicles - he was off his head.” 

Road workers told the Herald the man had tried to take their ute but was quickly arrested. 

The road workers' ute was damaged in the crash but no workers were hurt. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

No workers were injured, but their ute was damaged, and tow trucks were in attendance towing the damaged vehicles. 

Police recovered several items from the vehicle and placed them in forensic bags, including a balaclava the man was wearing. 

Police recovered several items from the car including a balaclava the man was wearing. Photo / Hayden Woodward