Officers tried to save motorcyclist

Police officers desperately tried to resuscitate a motorcyclist who lay dying after a high speed chase in Wellington.

Leith David Barnes, 28, an auto-electrician from Timaru, died after the 900cc Honda Hornet street bike he was riding crashed down a steep 10-metre bank into Newlands' Dennis Duggan Park on Wednesday afternoon.

He was on a four-week motorbike tour of the North Island but on Wednesday raced away from police after being spotted speeding south down State Highway 1 near Tawa.

Police communications reported a patrol car following him up Newlands Rd at 4.20pm before losing him two minutes later on Horokiwi Rd.

More police were called in to search the area before the crashed bike and seriously injured rider were found in the park off Ladbrooke Drive shortly afterwards.

Wellington police area commander Inspector Pete Cowan said the officer who found Mr Barnes immediately began CPR and was helped by other officers who arrived at the scene.

Paramedics then tried to resuscitate him for half-an-hour but were unsuccessful.

"The staff who were at the scene are very distraught but are being supported by their families and colleagues. All are now on special leave," Mr Cowan said.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has started an investigation into the crash and police have begun their own internal inquiry.

Mr Barnes' boss of seven years, Stan Van Heeswyck, was astounded at his actions and said he would not have been familiar with Wellington's roads.

"It's out of character, it really, really is. He was a good kid, he was just finding himself. He's never done a thing wrong in his life, that's the bit I can't get over.

"I'd like to clip him round the ear now, he was like a little brother to me. We worked together a long time."

Mr Van Heeswyck said Mr Barnes had been riding bikes for three years but bought the high-powered Honda on Trade Me only six months ago and rebuilt it.

"He loved it. There was a new screen on it that he made himself, new forks, new tyres ..."

"He was on a four-week holiday doing a ride around the North Island, just spreading his wings," Mr Van Heeswyck said. "He just loved being on a bike."

In a separate incident police arrested another motorcyclist yesterday after a short chase in south Waikato.

The motorcyclist was spotted doing 136kmh on State Highway 1 between Tokoroa and Putaruru but raced off after being stopped by police.

The man, who has been charged with reckless driving, finally came to a stop when he tried to overtake another slow moving police car, and smashed into the back of it.

Senior Sergeant Fane Troy said a pistol, ammunition and drugs were also found on the man.

- © Fairfax NZ News