Police involved in the incident on Monday morning. Photo: SUPPLIED
A man is in custody after the van he was driving rammed cars and evaded police in nearly two hours of chaos in South Wairarapa, police say.
A spokesperson said officers were called to a report of suspicious activity in Revans Street, Featherston just after 10am on Monday.
The man fled there in a vehicle - allegedly ramming a police car and leading officers to nearby Greytown.
Police said the driver evaded several attempts to spike the vehicle - ramming another patrol car and driving through Tauherenikau race course in the process.
The vehicle was brought to a stop just after midday on East Street. The occupant of the home where the chase ended told RNZ he was relieved no one was hurt in the incident.
Ryan McLeod heard a crash before finding a heavily damaged white van surrounded by police vehicles and armed officers.
"There's four vehicles on the front lawn [sandwiching] a van, and obviously the occupant of the van was getting slipped back around out of the line of any sort of danger and getting removed from the vehicle and put into a police car."
McLeod said his children attended nearby Greytown School, which locked down as the event unfolded.
Police at the scene on East Street. Photo: SUPPLIED
Another local said he pushed his partner to safety as the van careened through the centre of Greytown.
"This van came screaming around the corner out of East Street, heading on to Main," Matt Calder said.
"I shunted her out of the way and then just sort of screaming down Main Street with spikes and everything being thrown out, and like, he was knackered. He was running on like one, maybe two tires and just flying around the corner.
"I was worried that he was going to bloody lose the arse of it or something and clear us out, which I wasn't keen on."
The van also circled the grounds of Greytown School, forcing it to lock down.
A Greytown School staff member said students were kept indoors for nearly an hour after the vehicle was seen being chased down roads bordering the school just after 11.30am.
The staff member said the screeching sound of the vehicle driving at speed on shredded tyres could be heard through the school grounds as the situation unfolded.
They said police contacted the school at about 12.30pm to let them know the man had been caught and there was no further danger.
A 28-year-old man is expected to face numerous charges.