Just a day before the fifth anniversary of the tragic death of Sergeant Derek Michael Wootton who was killed while deploying road spikes in Titahi Bay, two Auckland City Police Officers are thanking their lucky stars neither of them met the same fate last night.
Working in tandem with a Police Dog Unit that was pursuing a stolen vehicle that had earlier been involved in an alleged aggravated robbery in the city, the officers intended to disable the vehicle using road spikes near the corner of Richmond Rd and Surrey Cres in Grey Lynn.
However, the fleeing vehicle was being driven at speed and directly at one of the officers who, instead of deploying the spikes, rapidly returned to his patrol car for safety. While he was in the driver's seat trying to reverse out of the way, the patrol car was struck three times, causing a neck injury to the officer and serious damage to his vehicle. His colleague was on the footpath.
Inspector Vaughn Graham says the incident highlighted, once again, the dangers to staff when confronting offenders who choose not to stop for Police.
"Had the stolen vehicle reached the intersection seconds earlier it's likely our officer would be seriously injured or worse. Only 24 hours earlier he was involved in spiking the vehicle armed man Caleb Henry drove through the Victoria Tunnel while being pursued before he died on the Auckland motorway after he exchanged shots with Police.
"The four juveniles involved in this morning's events and who were subsequently apprehended in South Auckland after a later road spike deployment incapacitated the stolen vehicle they were in, had earlier allegedly assaulted a group of youths in Victoria St in the city in an attempt to steal i-Phones.
"The volatile cocktail of youths in stolen vehicles with further serious offending on their minds but with little or no intent to respect our communities or the requests of Police to stop, could easily have had tragic consequences for our staff and those young people in the early hours of this morning."
Four youths aged between 14 and 17 are appearing in the Auckland Youth Court today charged in relation to taking and getting into a stolen vehicle and assault with intent to rob. The 15 year-old driver of the car will be charged with assault with a weapon as well as other driving offences.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz
MEDIA NOTE: Inspector Graham is available for interviews between 1.30 and 2.30pm today. Anyone wanting fresh shots/footage of the Police patrol car or an interview with Inspector Graham should contact 0274 951 589 or e-mail noreen.hegarty@police.govt.nz
