Officer charged for high-range drink drive after shock suburban cop car crash

A police officer has been stood down from duty and charged over an alleged high-range drink driving crash in Ipswich, which allegedly happened while he was working.

Intersection of Ash Street and Bladon Street, Yamanto, where a car and police vehicle crashed. Picture: Google Maps

A police officer has been charged with high range drink driving following an on-duty crash at Yamanto, in Ipswich, last week which left three people hospitalised.

A Queensland Police spokesman confirmed a 41-year-old male senior constable from Operations Support Command had been charged with high-range drink driving.

They alleged the 41-year-old was involved in a two-vehicle crash, while on duty, at Bladon Street, Yamanto at 8.10pm on Wednesday, January 4.

The driver and the passenger from the other vehicle received non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to hospital for observation.

The male senior constable allegedly returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.177 per cent.

The officer has been stood down from duty with the Queensland Police Service and is expected to appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on February 1.

“In keeping with our commitment to high standards of behaviour, transparency and accountability, we have undertaken to inform the public when an officer faces serious allegations of misconduct,” the spokesperson said.

It was previously reported three people were hospitalised after a crash involving a police car on a suburban Ipswich street.

On Friday, a Queensland Police spokesperson confirmed police attended a two-vehicle crash involving a police car on Bladon Street, Yamanto at 8.10pm on Wednesday.

Witnesses to the crash alleged a driver turned onto the street while speeding onto the wrong side of the road and smashed into another car’s driver’s side door — with a “big skid and loud bang”.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said a man in his 40s was taken in a stable condition to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with chest and abdominal injuries.

A man and woman, both in their 40s, were also taken to Ipswich Hospital, both stable with minor injuries.

A community member raised concerns about the intersection of Ash and Bladon streets where the crash took place, saying it “doesn‘t surprise me one bit”.

“That corner of Bladon and Ash St is so dangerous! Sometimes I go the long way to avoid it.”