Police Officer's Radio Prevents Serious Injuiry
9:26pm 11 July 2006
A Henderson Police Officer was saved from serious injury today as a direct result of the heavy duty casing on his police
radio.
Police say a series of incidents began when they were notified this morning by residents of Waimumu Street Massey that a
small group had gathered in their street.
The group were the occupants of two vehicles.
There were four occupants in a Honda Integra.
The other vehicle a Subaru had two occupants.
About lunchtime, Police received a report of a hit and run incident in Moir頒oad Massey. Witnesses told Police that two
vehicles had crashed into a third car at speed.
The two offending vehicles had quickly sped from the scene.
There were no injuries reported in this incident.
An hour later at about 1.20pm a vehicle with frontal damage was spotted by a police patrol. A pursuit ensued but the
four occupants in the vehicle eluded police, when they decamped into Starling Park, Ranui.
Soon after at about 2.05pm, a second vehicle was recognised by a police patrol as being one that was involved in the hit
and run incident. A pursuit of this vehicle then also ensued. It continued from Massey into Railside Avenue, in the
Henderson CBD.
This offending vehicle then rammed a second police car that was stationary in Railside Avenue. The driver attempted
wheel spinning the vehicle in an effort to escape arrest.
The two Police Officers involved in the pursuit quickly alighted from their patrol car.
One officer went to disable the gears of the car so as to arrest the offending driver and his passenger.
While the officer was reaching inside the vehicle via the front passenger window, the driver managed to get the car
mobile. He rapidly reached a speed of 50 kph, dragging the Police Officer with him for some 40-50 metres.
The Officer then disengaged from the car. He received cuts, abrasions and bruises to his lips, shoulders, hands and both
knees. The trouser legs of his Police uniform were torn at the knees.
The officer was saved from further serious injury by the heavy duty casing of the Motorola radio, when it became locked
between his body and the road.
The radio casing helped lessen the impact of the injuries as the Police Officer continued to slide along the roadway
until he finally stopped.
During this incident two other cars belonging to members of the public were also damaged as the offenders escaped from
the busy sector of Henderson CBD.
The injured Police Officer was treated by medics at Waitakere Hospital. He is now recovering at home.
The Subaru vehicle involved in this incident was found abandoned at a house in Helena Place, Massey. The passenger was
quickly apprehended by Police.
The offending driver was located in a neighbouring property by police dogs. Police are continuing their search to locate
the four other offenders.
Henderson Police are also seeking witnesses to both these incidents.
The driver of the Subaru has been arrested and he will appear in the Waitakere District Court on a number of driving
related charges.
Copyright 2006 New Zealand Police