Two people have been arrested after leading Police on a car chase across northern and central Southland.

At around 8.40am on Tuesday (17 May) a man crashed a stolen vehicle he was driving on the Devils Staircase, south of Queenstown.

He was picked up by a woman in another vehicle before the pair headed south.

Police tried to stop the vehicle in Lumsden before deploying road spikes at Benmore. Both attempts to stop the driver were unsuccessful.

Police called off their pursuit as the vehicle approached Winton but sighted the vehicle soon after in Eglington Street, Winton.

The vehicle had driven past a primary school where two school buses and other members of the public were parked at the intersection before driving up onto the footpath and headed north, passing a coffee cart and several pedestrians.

The vehicle eventually lost control while travelling on the footpath and grass verge adjacent to Great North Road before being driven into a patrol car, which was stationed on the corner of Great North Road and Clyde Street.

A 31-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man were arrested at the scene.

The woman will appear in the Invercargill District Court on 19 May on charges relating to reckless driving, failing to stop, and unlicensed driver failed to comply with prohibition.

The man is due to appear in Invercargill District Court on 23 May on charges relating to theft of a motor vehicle, resists Police, and careless driving.

Southern Prevention Acting Senior Sergeant Michael Wingfield said inquiries into the incident remain ongoing.