Three people were injured, one critically, after a serious crash involving a vehicle briefly pursued by police in Levin last night.
Manawatū acting area commander Inspector Ashley Gurney said an investigation had been launched following the two-vehicle crash.
A Holden Captiva, which police had been seeking in connection with several driving complaints, was spotted by a police unit on Queen St at 7.15pm.
Gurney said the pursuit was quickly abandoned "due to the manner of driving".
Around five minutes later, another police unit was flagged down and alerted by a member of the public to a two vehicle crash on State Highway 57 near the intersection of Kimberley and Arapaepae South Rds.
The Holden had collided with a van, critically injuring the van’s sole occupant, who was airlifted to hospital.
The driver and passenger in the Holden were taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
Gurney thanked the first responders to what was a "challenging scene".
"As part of the crash investigation, an examination of the scene and vehicles involved is being undertaken by the Central District Serious Crash Unit," he said.
"While the serious crash investigation is only in its early stages, I can confirm we are working to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash."
Police wanted to hear from anyone who may have seen the Holden Captiva driving south through Levin before the 7.20pm crash, or anyone with dashcam footage that might assist the investigation.
Anyone with relevant information should contact police on 105.
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