One person has been taken into custody after being car spiked in Leamington this afternoon.
At around 12:30pm, police were notified of a person escaping custody and assaulting two Corrections officers outside Waikato Hospital.
The alleged offender has then reportedly carjacked a vehicle in the hospital carpark and fled the scene.
Police made area enquiries to locate the man in the stolen vehicle, before it was sighted by the Eagle helicopter in Te Awamutu at around 3:25pm.
The Eagle Helicopter tracked the vehicle until police staff on the ground located it, and it was successfully spiked on Cambridge Road, Leamington around 3:40pm.
The vehicle then came to a stop just off Cambridge Road approximately five minutes later, where the offender was taken into custody.
The 25-year-old man is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court tomorrow, facing a number of serious charges.
This was a rapidly evolving incident, said Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur.
“I would like to commend staff who swiftly formulated and executed a plan to locate and arrest the man involved before further people were brought in harm’s way.”
20 November 2024 6pm
Dream come true
Vitor Fabris of Brazil described taking the oath as a new Kiwi as a “dream come true” when he and his family – now living in Te Awamutu – became New Zealand citizens. They have been in New Zealand for five years and Te Awamutu for two.
Vitor and his family were among 98 people who became New Zealand citizens at the Cambridge Town Hall on Tuesday.
From left: Vitor Fabris, Clorice Pohl Moreira de Castilho, Valentina Pohl Fabris, 10, mother Janete Fabris, friends Bill and Ruth Ward and father Valter Fabris. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Road to citizenship
South African Matt Hopson described taking the oath as a new Kiwi as a “long journey” but well worth it.
The family have been in New Zealand for eight years and four in Cambridge.
Matt Hopson, centre, holding granddaughter Bethany, 4, with from left wife Carol, daughters Chloe, 15, Peyton, 12, and Jamie – a teacher at Cambridge Middle School. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
United Kingdom – with 24 inductees – topped the poll followed by South Africa with 20. Other countries represented were Colombia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Scotland, Netherlands, India, Fiji, United States, Ireland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Philippines, Germany and England.
The latest Waipa group to gain New Zealand citizenship. Photo: Michael Jeans
Person of the Year
Paul Walker
The News is starting the annual search for two Waipā people of the Year.
Each November we invite readers to email [email protected] and nominate someone for the Te Awamutu News or Cambridge News version of the award – and tell us what makes that person worthy.
Who do you think should follow Te Awamutu’s Paul Walker and Cambridge’s Shirlee Bennett?
Shirlee Bennett
Dog put down
The owner of an American Bulldog which attacked a miniature poodle in Sherwin Park, Te Awamutu has been convicted under the Dog Control Act for owning a dog that made an attack and ordered to pay $7000 in reparation to the poodle owner. The poodle was seriously injured and needed $20,000 worth of emergency life-saving veterinary care.
Clinical professor
Jo Scott-Jones
Pinnacle clinical director Jo Scott-Jones has been appointed an Honorary Associate Professor for the leadership he has shown in rural health in the Division of Health at Waikato University.
He becomes the second Pinnacle health professional to be honoured after nursing director Jan Adams of Cambridge was appointed two years ago for her work to set up the Bachelor of Nursing programme.
Emergency management
Marae Preparedness plans with coordinated incident management systems have been developed by Waipā, Ōtorohanga and Waitomo Emergency Management operations manager David Simes with, Waipapa, Mangatoatoa, Mangapeehi, Te Kūiti, Taarawaanga, Maniroa, Poohara and Maungatautari marae. Te Kooraha Marae has also installed a Crisis Bunker Container in preparation for any need to set up the marae during an emergency, Simes told Waipā’s Regulatory committee this week.
A mayoral Bydder?
Andrew Bydder
The man who has been censured for his foul-mouthed criticism of Waipā District Council and mayor Susan O’Regan has been approached via social media regularly over the last three months since his outburst to stand for mayor. Hamilton City councillor Andrew Bydder, who lives in Cambridge, has not ruled it out.
Short meeting
Waipā’s Service and Delivery committee meeting this week was potentially the shortest on record lasting only three minutes – enough time to confirm previous meetings and approve road closures for Christmas parades in Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
Show stands
Waipa Home & Leisure Show
Stands for the Waipā Home & Leisure Show at Lake Karāpiro in May next year have gone on sale. The show, run by The News owner Good Local Media, attracted a steady stream of customers for the 80-plus exhibitors when it debuted at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre earlier this year. It will expand next year taking in other parts of the Karāpiro Domain.
Olympic celebration
A community celebration to welcome home Waipā’s record number of Olympians and Paralympians is set to be the district’s largest-ever celebration of our champion athletes. Following New Zealand’s most successful Olympic campaign, 20 Waipā athletes, along with their coaches and support crew, will be honoured at a civic ceremony and community event on Victoria Square, Cambridge on Friday, December 13.
