Police chase resulted in car being hit by train

Christchurch police officers made several mistakes during the pursuit of a stolen car which ended up being hit by a train, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found.

The incident at 3.55am on October 17, 2023, started when an officer on patrol in Upper Riccarton saw two stolen cars pass by.

It ended with a stolen silver Prius lying on the side of the tracks with its rear completely crumpled after being hit by a multiple-wagon train on Lincoln Rd in Addington.

The Prius was one of the cars spotted by the officer on Blenheim Rd about 4am.

When one of the drivers spotted the police, the stolen cars' headlights were turned off and they sped away.

Officer A then turned around and accelerated to follow them but did not activate their lights or sirens.

The officer stopped following when the two cars mounted the pavement and drove around bollards to another street.

The IPCA agreed with Officer A's decision not to pursue them. But it found the officer's tactical approach of following the cars at speed without lights and sirens was unsafe and unjustified.

A second officer (Officer B) also saw the two cars and followed them at a distance. They initially followed without lights and sirens to provide radio updates so other units could respond.

Officer B passed through an intersection on Wharenui Rd with red traffic lights and activated their emergency lights to warn other traffic.

The IPCA agreed Officer B driving with their lights on was reasonable, until they reached the Wharenui Rd intersection.

It said Officer B's decision to accelerate over the speed limit was unjustified as they were not engaging in a pursuit as it is defined in policy.

Another officer (Officer D) set up tyre deflation devices. However, it was unsuccessful due to the two drivers evading the road spikes.

The IPCA found Officer D was justified in deploying the road spikes, but the location of deployment did not offer them protective cover and was dangerous and contrary to policy.

Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill said police officers have a duty of care to keep the community safe no matter the situation.

"Staff have undergone additional training regarding travelling at any speed above the speed limit, and even when not in a pursuit, it should be treated with the same risk management," Hill said.

"Police engage in urgent duty driving daily, and we continue to take learnings from every instance.

"We would also like to acknowledge the train driver who received spinal injuries as a result of colliding with the stolen car."

-Allied Media