Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Two Christchurch police officers followed two stolen cars at speed in dark and wet conditions against policy, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found.
It ended in one of the cars, driven by an unlicensed 15-year-old, crashing into a train.
The teenager was not injured but the train driver suffered a spinal injury.
In findings released on Thursday the authority said some of the officers’ actions leading up to the 2023 crash were not justified.
About 4am Officer A saw two cars speed away from him in Riccarton and recognised one of them was stolen.
The officer turned to follow and accelerated above the speed limit but did not turn on his patrol car’s lights or siren.
The stolen cars drove onto the footpath and past bollards at the intersection of Ballantyne Avenue and Suva Street. The officer could not follow.
However, another unit saw the two cars and followed them at a distance.
Officer B initially drove at the speed limit without the car’s lights or siren operating.
When the officer drove through an intersection on Wharenui Road against a red traffic light, he activated his emergency lights to warn any other traffic.
The officer then accelerated while driving towards the central city in the hope of getting close enough to the stolen cars to signal them to stop.
The authority said the officer did not get close to the cars despite driving at an average speed of 106km/h in the built-up residential area.
Officer D deployed road spikes but the two stolen cars evaded them and continued on towards Lincoln Road.
The two drivers went through a railway crossing against warning lights and the second vehicle collided with the train.
“We accept that neither officer intentionally signalled the two drivers to stop, meaning at no time were the officers operating under fleeing driver policy or engaging in a pursuit,” the authority said.
“However, we do not agree that either officer’s actions were justified in the circumstances. It was unsafe for them to drive at speed in the poor road conditions, at some points without lights and sirens activated.
“The facts of the case illustrate concerns we have about officers in effect engaging in a pursuit by following drivers of interest at speed but not following the pursuit protocol because they have not ‘signalled the driver to stop’. What constitutes a signal to stop is not defined in policy but is generally interpreted to require the officer to be close enough to ensure the driver hears or sees the signal.
“In our view a policy gap exists, and the wider policy framework requires clarification. Police feedback suggested they do not share our view. However, we will be inviting police to join us in a re-examination of relevant policies.”
Police said they acknowledged the findings.
Superintendent Tony Hill. RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon
Canterbury district commander Superintendent Tony Hill said officers had a duty of care to ensure everyone in our community was safe, no matter the situation.
“Staff have undergone additional training regarding travelling at any speed above the speed limit and even when not in a pursuit it should be treated with the same risk management,” Hill said.
“Police engage in urgent duty driving daily and we continue to take learnings from every instance.
“We would also like to acknowledge the train driver who received spinal injuries as a result of colliding with the stolen car.”
The Independent Police Conduct Authority found:
- Officer A did not engage in a pursuit as it is defined in policy and would not have been justified in doing so
- Officer A was not justified in adopting a tactical approach when following the two cars
- Officer B did not engage in a pursuit as it is defined in policy
- Officer B was not justified in urgent duty driving from the Wharenui Road intersection onwards
- Officer D was justified in using road spikes to attempt to stop both cars but his choice of deployment site did not offer solid protective cover, rendering the deployment dangerous and contrary to policy.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/21/car-driven-by-15-year-old-hit-train-in-police-chase-on-wet-night/