A 36-year-old unlicensed man who was allegedly driving dangerously around Leanyer on Thursday afternoon while high on meth was apprehended by a police dog after attempting to flee police on foot, NT Police said.

Police said they received reports a black Subaru Impreza was driving dangerously along Vanderlin Drive around 3pm and later pulled the car over.

The driver was given a roadside breath test, which police said returned a positive result for drug use. A search of the vehicle followed where they located and seized a little more than three grams of methamphetamine.

But during the arrest, the man allegedly broke free and fled into nearby bushland.

“A cordon was established and a short time later, the 36-year-old offender was apprehended by Patrol Dog Drax from the Dog Operations Unit,” police media director Mark Wilton said in a statement.

“He was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital for assessment and was later charged with multiple offences.”

Charges include escaping lawful custody, driving with a prohibited drug in his system, possessing a schedule one drug (traffickable quantity), possessing an instrument to administer a drug, driving while unlicensed, careless driving and driving a motor vehicle that is unsafe to operate.

He will remain in custody until his court appearance at Darwin Local Court on September 8.