Police probe crash leak
Vehicle driven onto motorway toward south-bound traffic
Police have launched an internal investigation after footage showing a sickening head-on crash that closed Auckland’s Southern Motorway for hours was leaked.
The moment a stolen car hurtled the wrong way along the motorway yesterday morning, crashing into an innocent motorist, was captured by police on camera.
The stolen car was being followed by the police Eagle helicopter at the time of the crash, which closed all the
motorway’s southbound lanes.
Four people were injured in the head-on collision.
Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Karyn Malthus said the footage was “disclosed outside of police without authority”.
“We took immediate steps to ascertain how this footage was made public, and an employment investigation has commenced.
“Police take these matters seriously and we are disappointed at what occurred this morning.”
The crash took place about 10am. All motorway lanes reopened about 12.30pm.
Inspector Cornell Klussein said: “The person in the car was wanted for an unrelated serious crime. He started driving at high speed through roads like Te Irirangi Drive and around the Flat Bush area.
“During this time, Eagle was following. We didn’t have any police cars pursuing him directly. After a while, he entered the motorway going the wrong way at Highbrook.
“He crashed into a member of the public’s car about 100m onto the motorway.”
A witness said he was turning on to Ra Ora Drive when the blue car “recklessly” turned from that road onto Highbrook Drive, pulling in front of other cars.
“As we got closer to each other I noticed his rear driver side tyre was shredded and he was practically driving on the rim.”
Just after 10am, the car was driven onto the Southern Motorway using the Highbrook off-ramp and toward oncoming south-bound traffic.
Two of those hurt in the crash were reported to have moderate injuries, while another two sustained minor injuries.
The driver of the stolen car was currently in hospital, police said.
Inquiries were under way and charges are likely.
Authorities were forced to close off the motorway from Princes St for just over two hours as emergency crews attended the scene.
An AA spokeswoman said traffic built rapidly, with the trip from the city to Manukau taking almost two hours at 11am compared to the 15 minutes it would usually take.
The impact wasn’t restricted to southbound journeys with people travelling northbound on the Southern Motorway also experiencing delays.