Manhunt after fatal crash
Christchurch police say fugitive should not be approached
Police in Christchurch are hunting for a man they say is dangerous who fled after a pedestrian was fatally hit during a high-speed chase yesterday. They said Liam Strickland, 21, should not be approached and urged anyone with information to call 111.
The hunt for Strickland was launched after police chased a vehicle whose driver refused to stop
in the seaside suburb of New Brighton about 2pm.
Acting Canterbury District Commander Mike Johnson said the pursuit was abandoned due to the manner of the driving.
Sam Heselwood was working nearby on Pages Rd when a man wearing a grey hoodie sped past in a Subaru Legacy wagon with a police car in pursuit. Shortly afterwards, the same car sped back the other way “going 200km/h at least”, with eight or so police cars behind him, Heselwood said.
Several minutes later, the same man, now in a van, drove back in the other direction.
Video footage from the scene showed the van screaming down the road, mounting the kerb and almost hitting another pedestrian who tried to get out of the way.
The police officers had by that point appeared to have pulled out of the pursuit, Heselwood said.
Johnson said the vehicle was located shortly after the chase was abandoned and two of three suspects were arrested without any troubles. “Shortly afterwards the third occupant stole a nearby vehicle and rammed a police dog van,” he said. The stolen vehicle then collided with a pedestrian at New Brighton’s Hawke St-Shaw Ave intersection, he said.
Johnson said police were trying to identify and notify next of kin of the pedestrian and locate Strickland. He is 182cm tall, of a medium build and has tattoos on forehead and cheek.
Unichem Pharmacy manager George Mansour said they heard the sound of a police chase and moments later saw someone on the ground. He said a little while later a police officer came into the store to tell them someone had passed away.
Johnson said the incident was being investigated by police and the Independent Police Complaints Authority would be notified.