Officer drove dangerously, IPCA rules

AUCKLAND: A police officer who drove at speeds of up to 200kmh during a pursuit that led to a crash which killed two people committed dangerous and unjustified driving, a police watchdog has ruled.

The police handling of the Auckland chase on October 23 last year has been faulted in a report released yesterday by the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

The IPCA says the police officer should have faced a criminal investigation — but police say it is now too late to consider charges.

The authority said it was appropriate for the officers to begin the pursuit, but once it became clear the driver was not going to stop they should have abandoned the chase, which lasted 76 seconds.

‘‘The speeds at which the officer drove on this occasion were clearly unjustified and constituted dangerous driving,’’ IPCA chairman Judge Colin Doherty said.

The authority also found police should have initiated a criminal investigation into the officer’s driving.

Passengers Connor Talaimanu (29) and Sharina Storm Meuli (25) were both killed in the crash when the VW Golf they were in hit a tree in St Lukes Rd during the police pursuit.

The driver, Prushya Chaichumphon, had fled police with four passengers in the car after being seen travelling 133kmh in an 80kmh zone. —NZME