Police have declared a critical incident after a man suffered serious injuries during a confrontation with officers at Kempsey yesterday.
Just before 10pm, officers attended a license premises on York Lane, following reports a man wanted on outstanding warrants was at the venue.
When police arrived, the 29-year-old man ran away, and officers chased after him.
With the help of the Dog Unit, police found the man in a car park on Savages Lane, Kempsey.
He ran away, climbed a wall and ran across a roof, before he fell through a shade cloth structure to the ground.
Officers gave the man first aid until paramedics arrived, and took him to Kempsey District Hospital with serious head injuries.
The man was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital where he remains in a serious condition.
An officer was also taken to hospital for treatment.
A critical incident team from an independent police area command is now investigating the incident, which will be also independently reviewed.
