Man charged after police dog choked unconscious in 'dangerous' incident in central Auckland

The driver fled.

The Herald It is believed that he entered the Northwestern Motorway at Stanley Street in Parnell.

Police used the Eagle helicopter to pursue the vehicle, which left the highway at St. Lukes Road in Mt. Albert.

He turned into a dead end street and backed into a parked vehicle to escape the police.

The Nissan then drove to St. George's Road in Parnell and the driver turned onto the railway tracks.

He got stuck after about 100 m, got out of the car and ran.

A police sergeant and a dog handler were soon on the scene and confronted the driver.

One source claimed he hit the sergeant and the dog was deployed.

The man allegedly began to “choke it until he lost consciousness.”

“The brief but dangerous incident culminated in the dog handler and a sergeant rushing to the dog's aid and freeing him from the alleged perpetrator's grasp,” Plunkett said.

“The dog regained consciousness in time and was able to assist with the arrest.

“The man was arrested at the scene and received medical treatment for bites on his legs and arms.

“The police dog was taken to the vet for examination but fortunately suffered only minor injuries.”

Plunkett said the incident was still being investigated but the man would appear in court today on charges including two counts of assaulting police officers, two counts of resisting police, dangerous driving, failing to stop, injuring a police dog, driving while prohibited and endangering the safety of rail workers and trains within a rail corridor.

For endangering public transport alone, the defendant faces up to 14 years in prison.

Anyone who kills, maims, injures or otherwise harms a police dog may be sentenced to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $15,000.

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter covering national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years, with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicide, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, broadcast monthly on nzherald.co.nz