Ensuring her staff get the appropriate level of support following a traumatic incident is one priority for a senior Waikato Police officer after a fleeing driver collided with a truck on a rural highway overnight.
District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace, said Police are still working to confirm the identity of a man seriously injured in the collision.
“The crash is currently the subject of a number of investigations, including one by the Serious Crash Unit and the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has been advised, so it’s too early to confirm what has occurred.
“Initial indications however, are that a Toyota vehicle was seen speeding on SH3 from Te Kuiti towards Otorohanga when it was seen by a Police patrol. The officer has attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver has fled north at high speed and a pursuit was initiated.”
Mrs Grace said a short time later the fleeing driver’s vehicle was seen to collide with the driver’s side of a southbound truck and trailer unit about 11.40pm.
“The driver was freed from the wreckage by fire-fighters and flown to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition, meanwhile emergency services were left cleaning.
“This incident is the second serious crash involving fleeing drivers in a week and as an organisation, we are ensuring we are getting the appropriate support to our staff who are having to deal with what are completely avoidable circumstances.”
Mrs Grace said when such incidents occur often the focus is on the offending driver but little consideration is given to those who have to pick up the pieces.
“Each day our staff come to work focused on preventing road trauma. When, despite their best efforts, traumatic incidents still occur we then require them to pick up the pieces.
“Often the human cost of picking up those pieces is overlooked, offending drivers need to take stock that it’s not just themselves they put at risk. It’s other motorists, it’s their families and it’s our emergency service workers.”
SH3 was re-opened to traffic early this morning.
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