A "car event" in New Plymouth has descended into chaos after a woman was crushed between two vehicles, while one attendee smashed the window of a police car as others threw bottles.
The event was held Connett Rd/De Havilland Dr area Saturday night, with hundreds attending despite COVID-19 alert level 2 restrictions.
Police said there's extreme frustration and concern over what has taken place.
"Officers spoke to organisers regarding concerns such an event could breach alert level 2 restrictions and advised against holding the event," acting Taranaki area commander Insp Darin Haenga said.
"Shortly before 10pm, around 100 cars were in the Connett Rd/De Havilland Dr area, with some of them performing skids and burnouts.
"At 10:30pm, a car doing burnouts lost control and collided with a parked vehicle, also striking a woman standing beside the parked car and crushing her between the two cars."
The victim is in hospital in a stable condition. An 18-year-old man has been charged with sustained loss of traction and will appear in the New Plymouth District Court on November 6.
Then further chaos unfolded about half an hour later.
"At 11pm, police responded to a crash on Centennial Dr, after a vehicle not involved in the 'car event' skidded on diesel that participants had poured on the road and collided with a parked car," Haenga said.
"Fortunately the driver of this car was not injured in the crash.
"However, the patrol car of a police officer responding to the crash was surrounded by a group who had moved to Centennial Dr from Connett Rd.
"A male jumped on the bonnet of the patrol car and smashed the windscreen, while others threw bottles and cans at the patrol car, smashing the rear window and also causing damage to the body of the car.
"The officer was very lucky to not be seriously injured in this incident."
Haenga said an investigation into the incident was ongoing.
"There will have been participants in this 'car event' who are as horrified as we are at the appalling behaviour displayed by those involved in these incidents and other unsafe driving behaviour during the night."
Attendees were being asked to "do the right thing" and contact police to provide any further information including video footage, Haenga said.
"We would also like to hear from any members of the public who were not involved but may have witnessed something which may assist our enquiries."
Anyone with information can contact police on 105.
