Two chases, two siblings dead

A 12-year-old girl killed in a police chase near Palmerston North lost her brother in eerily similar circumstances in a car crash in Australia five years ago.

Meadow James and the car’s

15-year-old driver, Ihaia McPhee Maxwell, both died after the stolen blue Subaru they were in hit a power pole on Monday.

Meadow’s brother, Leif James, died in north Sydney on October

31, 2013. He was also a passenger in a stolen blue Subaru being chased by police.

Leif James was 18 at the time of the Australian crash, working as a casual labourer and living with his mother and stepdad in Queensland.

In the Australian police chase, which lasted 80 seconds, the stolen Subaru went through a red light, with two police cars in pursuit.

The Subaru then lost control on a right-hand bend before sliding into the path of a ute driving towards it.

When it lost control it was going about 135kmh in an 80kmh zone. Leif James died in hospital of a head injury.

There is no evidence Leif James knew the car he was killed in was stolen, according to a coroner’s report into his death.

He was a keen rugby, rugby league and touch rugby player.

After the Palmerston North crash, the other passenger in the car, a 15-year-old girl, remained in Palmerston North Hospital yesterday in a stable condition.

The girl, who was sitting in the back seat, suffered serious injuries in the crash, southwest of Palmerston North, on Monday.

Maxwell died in Palmerston North Hospital on Monday.

Jack Making and Juane Hillman saw the chase unfold from their driveway, which looks straight down the centre of Monrad St, where the driver failed to stop.

They watched as the stolen blue Subaru fled, before police sirens had even sounded.

‘‘The Subaru pushed its way through the traffic and took off. Then the cop did the same thing.’’

About 30 seconds later, three more police cars flew past their home.

Making estimated they travelled about 150kmh. Several oncoming cars were forced onto the grass berm as police overtook traffic on Pioneer Highway, he said.

‘‘I’ve never seen so many police. It was insane. It was crazy.

‘‘It was like watching James Bond.’’

Hillman believed police should have abandoned the pursuit.

‘‘They knew there were kids in that car. They could have stopped the chase and found the kids later.’’

It was later revealed the driver was on bail for several previous serious driving offences earlier this year.

Stuff understands a warrant for his arrest was issued last week after he failed to appear at court.