Christchurch, Jan 9 NZPA - Police have taken a hard line with a teenager they allege crashed into a family car -- seriously injuring one woman -- during a car chase through central Christchurch.

The youth, Thomas Joseph Hancy, has turned 19 while he has been in custody since his arrest for the Friday night crash on December 5 at the corner of Durham and Tuam Streets.

The police have had him remanded in custody on several charges but they had not decided on the major charge he will face until Hancy's court appearance today.

They wanted to know the medical condition and prognosis for the 24-year-old mother who suffered serious head injuries in the crash, before laying the charge.

It was originally thought she might not live, but she has made progress in hospital.

As of today, Hancy faces a charge of aggravated assault -- causing grievous bodily harm to the woman while trying to avoid arrest for unlawfully taking a car.

The charge is laid indictably and carries heavier penalties than the charges that were originally laid.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger told Christchurch District Court Judge Brian Callaghan: "Police have considered their position in relation to the most seriously injured of the victims of this incident, and have elected to lay a serious charge. Mr Hancy wants the opportunity to consider his position in relation to that."

She asked for a remand for Hancy to January 23, when she said pleas may be entered. This was granted. She did not make a bail application for the teenager and the remand was again in custody.

Hancy was also injured in the crash and had to struggle in and out of the dock at his first court appearance on December 8. There are now healing scars across his forehead.

Some charges were replaced today. Hancy has entered no pleas but faces these charges: aggravated assault on the woman, unlawfully taking a $5000 Subaru car, reckless driving causing injury to the woman's partner and five-year-old daughter, possession of scissors with intent to use them to unlawfully take vehicles, driving while disqualified, and failing to stop for a police car using its lights and sirens.

The police say the Subaru was taken from the Centennial Pool area and was briefly chased by a police car. The police abandoned the pursuit before the crash, when the car was driving in the wrong direction along a one-way street.

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