Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said a 33-year-old man wanted for a breach of parole was being tracked in Darwin on Wednesday when the incident occurred at Rapid Creek.
"He's a guy who has a very violent history. We know him very well," he told reporters.
Because of the known criminal history of the man, recently released from prison, the NT Police fugitive task group and tactical response group were engaged, with up to 40 officers involved in the arrest operation.
The man was driving dangerously in Darwin's northern suburbs on Wednesday afternoon when officers did a "tactical vehicle interdiction", crashing a Landcruiser head on into his vehicle to disable it, Mr Malley said.
"It's a collision that we mean to do."
A tactical response officer went forward and fired a 12-gauge shotgun into a front tyre to further disable the vehicle.
"The man jumped into the back seat of the car and doused himself in fuel," Mr Malley said.
Police negotiated with him for about 15 minutes before officers caved in the back window of the vehicle and pulled him out.
He received no serious injuries, was taken to hospital for assessment and was expected to be charged with multiple offences, Mr Malley said.Â
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