Teens charged after officer laying spikes struck, critically injured
Two teenagers have been charged following an incident where a police officer was critically injured while deploying road spikes near Palmerston North. The officer remains in stable condition on a ventilator, and the suspects are scheduled to appear in Youth Court.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding youth crime and the dangers faced by law enforcement in the line of duty.
Two teenage boys have been charged after a fleeing driver <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/08/22/officer-on-ventilator-after-being-hit-by-teens-in-allegedly-stolen-car/">ploughed into an officer laying road spikes near Palmerston North yesterday</a>, throwing him several metres through the air and leaving him critically injured. The constable was deploying spikes on Kairanga Bunnythorpe Rd about 2am on Saturday when the vehicle struck him. He was airlifted to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition. A second officer was treated for minor injuries. Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett said the officer remained on a ventilator but was stable. "He's got talented doctors and nurses looking after him, but his recovery will take some time. He is in a stable condition and remains on a ventilator, but the hospital staff are doing everything they can for him," Bennett said.
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