‘Absolute miracle’ police officers survived head-on collision at Caboolture
Police are investigating if a man deliberately drove into a police vehicle before a horrific head-on crash that left three officers – including a recruit – injured as they responded to a stabbing at Caboolture. Queensland’s top cop says it’s an ‘absolute miracle’ anyone survived.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Three young Queensland Police officers, including a recruit who was set to be sworn in in the next two weeks, have been seriously injured after a man allegedly involved in a nearby stabbing collided with their police van as they raced to the scene of that serious attack.
Police on Sunday said a Senior Constable, 37, had extensive surgery overnight and was in a critical but stable condition in intensive care.
The constable suffered leg, chest and arm injuries, which were described as “quite significant”.
Speaking to the media in Caboolture this morning, Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the officer would require months of rehabilitation and care before he could return to work.
A male constable, 24, and a female police recruit, 23, who were in the car were treated for their injuries but have now been discharged from hospital.
Ms Carroll said she had viewed footage of the crash and there appeared to be no reduction in speed of the oncoming ute.
She said it was extraordinary that the occupants survived.
“How they survived is an absolute miracle,” Commissioner Carroll said.
The man behind the wheel of the ute was also believed to be badly injured with leg and chest injuries.
Superintendent John Hallam said police were reviewing CCTV footage and would speak to more witnesses today.
He said officers were still examining if the man intentionally drove into police.
“It’s really difficult to say at this point in time,” he said.
“The police vehicle was on the roadway, you can clearly see that it is slowing and trying to pull to the left,” Supt Hallam said.
“But if you are familiar with the scene unfortunately the driver of the police vehicle didn’t have much space to go.
“He had an embankment on one side and a telegraph pole before him as well.”
Asked whether the officer was trying to avoid the other vehicle Supt Hallam said: “That’s what it looks like in the footage.”
It’s unclear if the officers knew if the man who crashed into them was allegedly involved in the stabbing.
Assistant Commissioner Brian Connors said: “Whether the officers knew at the time that that was the person involved, we don’t believe that they actually did but that remains to be seen.”
Mr Connors said the injuries to the Senior Constable were “quite significant” but said he was expected to improve.
The driver of the ute was under medical care and was in a serious condition after the high-speed crash.
The man stabbed and the man that allegedly fled the scene and crashed the ute into police were believed to be associates, Mr Connors said.
Ms Carroll, Queensland’s Police Minister Mark Ryan and Queensland Police Union boss Ian Leavers have all travelled to the scene on Sunday morning.
Ms Carroll said she had seen footage of the accident and it showed the stark reality of how dangerous jobs were that police attended.
“All I can say is thankfully all of those officers are currently safe and alive and with us,” she said.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said he was at the hospital last night and support was being provided.
“Behind every police officer is an extended family and they are suffering as well at this point in time,” he said.
“In the Moreton district police are doing it very tough, we’ve had our fair share of tragedy over the last 12 months and we are doing all we can to support the police involved.”
The police were called the serious stabbing attack on Moon St at Caboolture South at 2.45pm on Saturday.
Their marked police van would minutes later collide with a car driven by the stabbing suspect, who had just fled the earlier scene.
At 2.50pm, the cars crashed head-on at nearby River Drive after police received the triple-0 call to attend the attack, which left a man in a serious condition with a significant stab wound.
Police could not yet confirm whether they believed the man intentionally drove head-on into the marked police van after he fled from the stabbing, however police investigators will probe this line of inquiry.
Police said footage and witness accounts will help piece together a clear understanding of how the traffic crash occurred.
When asked if police believed the man intentionally drove head-on into the marked police van, Moreton District Police Inspector Craig White said it was too early in the investigation to know the circumstances of the crash.
However he said police would work to establish the cause of the incident.
“It certainly will be a line of inquiry to establish the cause of the accident, which is what we do normally anyway,” Insp White said.
Police are calling on witnesses to both the crash and the stabbing as investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.
A woman who lives in Moon St said a “group of boys and a pregnant woman” moved into the street less than a week ago.
She said an altercation broke out at the Moon St property on Friday night and Saturday morning.
“We were all really uncomfortable last night, so my partner, who is a big burly guy, went across the road because we were worried about the pregnant woman.
“On Saturday afternoon we heard that same woman scream out ‘please stop’ … a short time later I saw the man smash into the van, spin the wheel and take off.”
Another woman, who lives nearby to Moon St, said “there was about six or seven people who were always popping in and out”.
“We saw people drinking there a lot including a pregnant lady … but on Saturday morning about 1am we heard lots of banging and yelling,” she said.
“My neighbour thought the pregnant lady was at risk of being hurt so they decided to go across the road but retreated pretty quickly because he was drunk and his behaviour had become extremely aggressive.”
She said last night the man was heard yelling “f*** off, go to sleep”.
“Last night he broke glass and the wooden door trying to get inside the property.”
The woman said the neighbourhood “sort of forgot about that incident until 2pm today when we heard a big crash and then a man being wheeled out on a stretcher”.
While in a separate, unrelated incident in Brisbane’s inner north, another police vehicle was struck by two people, allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.
It’s understood police spotted a stolen car driving around the Chermside area early Saturday afternoon.
The two cars collided on Linkfield Rd, Bald Hills about 3pm, however it’s believed the crash was minor.
It’s understood police deployed a tyre deflation device to stop the stolen vehicle.
Two people were arrested at the scene and police investigations remain ongoing.
Murder-suicide probe after bodies found in apartment
A crime scene has been declared at Miami on the Gold Coast where two people have been found dead in an apartment with a murder-suicide investigation underway.
Read more
Police swarm Qld property after shots fired
Police have surrounded a rural Qld property where its understood shots have been fired, and officers are negotiating with a man inside.
Read more