Carjack drama at busy Auckland intersection

2:09 pm on 24 May 2017

A driver fleeing police in Auckland is believed to have carjacked another vehicle at a busy intersection after crashing his original stolen car.

Police are seeking 35-year-old Haumia Manuel after he crashed into a car at a St Lukes intersection, before carjacking another vehicle.

Police are seeking 35-year-old Haumia Manuel after he crashed into a car at a St Lukes intersection before pulling a another driver out of a car. Photo: NZ Police

Police are still hunting 35-year-old Haumia Manuel after this morning's events.

He was spotted by officers speeding through a red light in a stolen car shortly after 9am today.

Haumia Manuel

Haumia Manuel Photo: NZ Police

He crashed into another car at an intersection in the suburb of St Lukes.

He then got out and ran down a line of traffic, testing car doors before pulling a driver out of a car.

Officers chased him on foot and tried to stop him, and attempted to use a taser and pepper spray on him, but did not make contact with him, police said.

The fleeing man then got into the car and reversed into the driver he had just pulled out.

As he was trying to get away, he also reversed into a parked car in a driveway, which smashed into a garage, damaging another vehicle inside.

Two people were left with minor injuries.

Police said he fled in the stolen car, dumping it outside a house in Henderson.

Police have confirmed a woman, who was a passenger in the original stolen car, was caught after attempting to flee.

They said she was now helping with their investigation.

The car and garage damaged during the carjacker's getaway.

The car and garage damaged during the carjacker's getaway. Photo: RNZ / Eva Corlett

'We couldn't speak, we were in tears'

The family whose cars and property were damaged by the fleeing man were left shaken up by the experience.

The family, who did not want to be named, live on New North Road, next to the site where the parked car was taken.

When the man who took the vehicle reversed, he went through the family's front fence and into their son's car in order to turn around.

The smash forced the son's car into the garage door, caving it in and damaging their new Toyota Prius inside, the father said.

The force of the impact with the garage door damaged the vehicle inside.

The force of the impact with the garage door damaged the vehicle inside. Photo: RNZ / Eva Corlett

Parts of the splintered fence were dragged down the driveway and the force of the collision knocked out parts of the garage wall, he said.

The family had been enjoying a quiet morning with a cup of coffee when they heard a "heavy bang".

"I saw the man having a scuffle with another man in a parked car...he took over the car and then very rashly reversed the car.

"He accelerated at high speed and drove straight into our driveway. The impact was so bad, the side wall has all collapsed.

"We couldn't speak, we were in tears."

Paramedics treated the victim of the carjacking inside their home, he said.

The family was insured for their house and car, but their son's car was not, he said.

Jodie Chapell, who works at the nearby Your Local Plumber, saw the event unfold from their office driveway.

"We were alerted by a big bang," Ms Chapell said.

"My colleague saw the white car collide with what was probably a bystander and then went tearing up the road."

There were lengthy traffic delays while the mess was cleaned up, she said.