Gai Vieira accident: Fresh details emerge amid investigation announcement
A POLICE officer was chasing a driver on a mobile phone before his patrol car smashed into a car driven by the wife of a prominent racing identity, it has been revealed.
NSW
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- Cronulla car smash: Mercedes and police car destroyed
- Racehorse owner’s wife fighting for life after collision
A POLICE officer was chasing a driver on a mobile phone before his patrol car smashed into a car driven by the wife of a prominent racing identity, it has been revealed.
Gai Vieira, wife of Sydney racehorse owner Bert Vieira, remains fighting for life in hospital after the police car collided with her Mercedes at a Cronulla intersection on Wednesday morning.
The senior constable, who was travelling alone, was trying to pull over a driver who was using a mobile phone before the crash, but there are conflicting reports of what happened, with Ms Vieira’s family taking to social media yesterday in the search for answers.
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“We have been told allegedly the police officer that hit her was travelling approx. ‘140km’ without his sirens on and didn’t have a chance to use his brakes at all,” Ms Vieira’s son, Trent, posted on Facebook.
“We are appealing for any witnesses of the accident to please make contact with me.”
NSW’s top traffic officer, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, called a press conference on Thursday afternoon, revealing the police officer had just received information that a nearby driver was using a mobile phone in the moments before the collision.
“(His) Highway Patrol vehicle proceeded on the Kingsway to pursue — to follow — that vehicle, to pull it up,” Mr Corboy said.
“In doing so, (it) collided with a Mercedes Benz driven by a 68-year-old woman who had a two-year-old (child) in the car.”
An independent investigation has been launched and will look into the speed of the police vehicle, if its lights and sirens were activated and the actions of the Mercedes.
Mr Corboy would not say if the police car’s lights and sirens were activated, but warned “we’ll be taking action if required”.
“We do have to catch up to vehicles, but the use of lights and sirens is something that is normally associated with this,” Mr Corboy said.
“We will confirm that in coming days.
“We have to be fair to everyone involved and we have to speak to everyone involved and we need that information to make those statements.”
It is understood Ms Vieira was turning right out of Connels Rd onto Kingsway and the police car was travelling west on Kingsway before the collision.
Ms Vieira’s grandson and the police officer were also hospitalised, but have since been discharged.
The police officer has not been suspended and will be interviewed by investigators.
Mr Corboy said his members were thinking of Ms Vieira and her family.
“None of us want to be involved in this sort of incident,” he said.
“It’s a tragic incident, we have a person who’s really ill in hospital and it’s the last thing we want.”
Trainer Gerald Ryan said a decision on whether super sprinter Trapeze Artist runs at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow rests with owner-breeder, Bert Vieira.
Trapeze Artist is entered for the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m), his first start for the spring carnival and a crucial lead-up for the world’s richest turf race, the $13 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 13.
“It is entirely up to Bert, if he wants Trapeze Artist to run, we will run,’’ Ryan said.
“But if he doesn’t want it to run because of what has happened we will scratch and go to Plan B.’’
Trapeze Artist, the early favourite at $4.50 for The Everest, is also at the top of betting at $2.80 for the Theo Mark Stakes.
Ryan was shocked to learn of the car accident which has left Vieira’s wife, Gai, in a critical condition in St George Hospital.
As a mark of respect, the trainer scratched one of the owner’s horses, Fast Train, from a race at Gosford yesterday.