Call for change by sister of pregnant mum killed in crash following police pursuit
Monday, 14 January 2019
Six people have died in crashes following police pursuits in Christchurch in just under two months.
The latest fatal incident claimed the lives of brothers Glen Mcallister, 16, Craig Mcallister, 13, and their friend, Brooklyn Taylor, also 13.
The trio, who were in a stolen Mazda Familia, died after they hit road spikes and crashed into a tree on Christchurch's Blenheim Rd. The vehicle then exploded into a ball of fire.
The car was seen speeding in central Christchurch at 11.13pm on Sunday, reaching speeds of 130kmh and running red lights.
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* Young brothers killed after fleeing car explodes in 'huge ball of fire'
* Driver killed in double-fatal was going more than twice speed limit
* Deadly crash driver's image suppressed for safety reasons
* Jump in Kiwi drivers fleeing police and more getting jailed for it**
Sunday's incident was the third fatal crash involving drivers fleeing from police in Christchurch in less than two months. Six people lost their lives.
Christchurch woman Kara-lee Kirk Cowie lost her pregnant sister, Renee Percy, in a crash following a police pursuit on December 5.
Percy was a passenger in a car being driven more than twice the speed limit by Dennis Tunnicliffe, 25. He was trying flee police before smashing into a power pole in Aranui, Christchurch, killing himself and Percy. A third person in the car was injured.
Kirk Cowie said police should rethink how they pursued fleeing vehicles.
'These fatal accidents are becoming all too common and as a family member of someone who passed away in a similar situation, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone – let alone someone's family.'
On November 16, Alexia Chrissy-Marie Noble-Hazelwood, 18, died when the car she was a passenger in ploughed through a fence and smashed into a tree and building at the entrance to Christchurch East School on Gloucester St. Three other passengers were injured.
The crash happened after driver Darrin Ray Stewart, 19, tried to flee police.
He appeared at the High Court in Christchurch on December 4, 2018, charged with causing Noble-Hazelwood's death by the unlawful act of dangerous driving.
He was also charged failing to stop and ascertain whether anyone had been injured and failing to remain stopped for a police officer to get his particulars.
Stewart is set to appear in court again on February 22.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said the latest crash was 'an absolute tragedy' for the families of the teenagers involved.
He supported how police responded when they first spotted the vehicle, which was reaching speeds of more than 130kmh in Christchurch's central city.
Police could not turn a blind eye to such driving, Nash said.
'I would not support any proposal to forbid police from pursuing fleeing drivers because they need to have discretion for every case.
'Police are trained to deal with fleeing drivers and there are well-established policies and procedures for managing these.'
Police signalled more than 3.5 million drivers to pull over each year – about 9500 per day.
'In more than 99 per cent of cases, the drivers pull over,' Nash said.
'Unfortunately about 4000 other drivers fail to stop every year and these become fleeing driver incidents. However the vast majority of these are subsequently abandoned by police – about 60 per cent.'
Nash said an Independent Police Conduct Authority of New Zealand (IPCA) would review fleeing driver cases.
It would not make recommendations about policy, but would provide insights into common themes or causes.
'The review aims to provide a better understanding of the circumstances of fleeing drivers, including how police manage them, rather than looking at incidents in isolation,' he said.
It is expected to be completed in February.