A man in his twenties is in Waikato Hospital in a critical condition after a car he was in crashed through three properties and landed on its roof while fleeing police in Rotorua last night.

Residents have described hearing a "God almighty crash, bang" as their houses shook from the impact. A flying post from one of the houses went through a neighbour's car windscreen.

Inspector Anaru Pewhairangi, Rotorua police area commander, said in a statement this morning police attempted to stop a vehicle on Ford Rd due to speed at 10.50pm. When the driver did not stop, a pursuit was started.

Road spikes were used but before these could be effective the driver crashed into a tree on Malfroy Rd opposite Malfroy School, by Jervis St. The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

He suffered critical head injuries and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, and the incident will be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

Police staff involved in the incident are being supported, Pewhairangi said.

A St John spokeswoman said a helicopter and three ambulances were sent to the scene and one patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

Residents in the area were this morning still coming to terms with the mess and the horrifying sounds of the crash.

Charles Fletcher lives at the Malfroy Rd house where the vehicle landed on its roof.

"I was sitting on the edge of my bed just before 11pm getting ready for bed ... Next minute there was a God almighty crash, bang, the house shook," Fletcher said.

"I thought 'what on earth is this?'"

He got up and went on to his deck and saw the car on its roof up his driveway.

As the car hurtled into his property, it brought with it a post from a neighbour's fence, which then smashed into his Suzuki parked in his driveway.

"The neighbour's gate post from next door came over with the car and was thrown into the windscreen. The post is still there, the boys wanted to take it away this morning but I told them to leave it for insurance purposes."

He said he had heard sirens before the crash but not for long.

"They hadn't been chasing him for very long."

He then watched as emergency services extracted the man from the vehicle before they took him away by ambulance.

Resident said Bill McGregor, who lives at one of the properties that was damaged, said he woke to hear an "almighty crash".

"It was very loud, when I looked out the police car was just coming. The police car seemed to be following rather than chasing, I understand there was another police car coming the other way trying to box him.

McGregor described the damage as a "mess" as the car smashed through three properties.

"When I looked out and saw the fence I couldn't believe it."

He described how the car had hit his fence, hit a concrete corner next door, the vehicle has spun sideways and finished on his roof in another property. It's smashed the windscreen of the neighbour's Suzuki."