A Nissan Terrano drove through a playground, down some steps and across a field while being pursued by police through Queenstown and Frankton this morning.
The vehicle and its male driver evaded capture after police abandoned the pursuit for the second time, near Pak'n Save about 4.45am, because of his "reckless'' driving, Sergeant Keith Newell said.
The driver "took off'' after a patrol car activated its lights and siren on Shotover St about 4.15am.
The vehicle reached speeds of 70kmh in a 50kmh zone and 110kmh in a 70kmh zone as it fled along Lake St, Man St and Frankton Rd before going up Goldfield Heights on Queenstown Hill.
The pursuit was abandoned after the vehicle went down some steps and through a children's playground.
But it resumed on Frankton Rd a short time later after the driver refused to stop for another patrol car.
It sped along Kawarau Rd and around the back of Queenstown Airport on Hawthorne Dr.
The pursuit was abandoned for the second time after the vehicle drove up a bank and "across country'' near Pak'n Save.
Police were following "positive lines of inquiry'', Sgt Newell said.
It was the second major pursuit in the resort in the past 48 hours. Police used road spikes to stop a vehicle near Jack's Point on Wednesday morning, about 45 minutes after the driver refused to stop in downtown Queenstown.
Its two occupants were arrested and are expected to appear in court next week.
