The mayhem spanned from Oamaru to Waihola, with the driver continually travelling on the wrong side of the road, running multiple red lights, crashing into several vehicles including a police car, narrowly avoiding running over a pedestrian, and only came to an end when the car was road-spiked south of Waihola.
Police tactical dog team leader Sergeant Mike Calvert, of Dunedin, said the drama began about 6pm on Thursday when the man was clocked travelling at 165kmh in a silver Subaru, north of Dunedin.
Police pursued the vehicle north to Oamaru and, after it reached the town, it looped back and headed south to Dunedin — at times reaching speeds of up to 180kmh.
Although there were multiple police cars following, Sgt Calvert said there was no need to aggressively pursue the driver closely, because he was livestreaming all the action to social media and officers were able to see where he was going and track his movements.
At one point when they are driving down Pine Hill Rd into Dunedin, the driver can be heard saying, "I need a piss", and the female passenger says: "They’re [the police] right behind us."
He can also be heard several times asking for another can.
At 7.45pm, he managed to lose police by turning off the Southern Motorway at Barnes Dr and parking in Goodall St — a dead-end side street in Caversham — where he could be heard urinating.
Had he not been livestreaming, police probably would not have known he was there.
He made his way back on to the Southern Motorway and, as he travelled past Lookout Point, he slowed down for the speed camera at the bottom of the hill near Concord and could be heard saying: "We don’t want to get a ticket."
He sideswiped a car on State Highway 1 near Green Island, before turning off at Mosgiel and continuing south via Taieri back roads.
He rejoined SH1 again just north of Waihola.
Soon after travelling through Waihola, the vehicle is spiked by police and he can be heard saying: "F..., they got us."
Police ordered him to put his hands on the centre console, and not to make any sudden movements or he would be tasered.
Sgt Calvert said the man was "belligerent and threatening" toward police officers.
"He made threats that he had weapons, so a dog was sent in to apprehend him."
He said it was difficult to stop the driver earlier because there were major concerns for the safety of the young child on board.
"So we were about a kilometre behind him, planning the best course of action.
"Unfortunately, the locations where we wanted to set our road spikes, there were other cars on the road so it was too unsafe to do so.
"We just had to hold off until we had a proper location to do it."
He described the driver’s actions as "crazy".
"He was a risk to everybody on the road — himself and members of the public."
Sgt Calvert said the man had to have surgery for a single dog bite, and spent much of yesterday under guard at Dunedin Hospital.
The man is due to appear in the Dunedin District Court next week, on charges including failing to stop, reckless driving, wilful damage, resisting police, failing to stop to ascertain injury and refusing officers’ request for blood.
