By Belinda Feek of
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Two men charged after allegedly shooting at police on the outskirts of Hamilton have been remanded in custody.
Romeo Johnson-Khoun, of Melville, and Jason Barton, of Enderley, are alleged to have fired a shotgun at police as they fled officers in Hamilton East just after midnight on Anzac Day.
The officers were responding to an attempted theft of a vehicle when they spotted a car of interest on Clyde St.
They continued to follow the car discreetly and organised for spikes to be laid to stop the vehicle safely.
Despite the spiking being successful, the vehicle allegedly continued to travel through the suburb, at one point on three wheels.
A shot from a shotgun was allegedly fired at the patrol car, causing minor damage.
The vehicle eventually came to a stop at a property in Matangi.
There were no injuries and the patrol car had minor damage.
Johnson-Khoun, 18, and Barton, 28, each made a brief appearance in the Hamilton District Court today on charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop, using a firearm against a law enforcement officer and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Lawyer Russell Boot said he would not be applying for bail on Johnson-Khoun's behalf.
Instead, Johnson-Khoun was remanded in custody without plea by Judge Brett Crowley to reappear next week.
Barton did not apply for bail today either.
He was remanded in custody without plea to reappear on Friday, when counsel Gerard Walsh hoped a bail application could be made.
Court documents show a third man was also in the vehicle at the time, but had not yet been arrested.
- This story was first published by the New Zealand Herald.
