Constable charged after fatal pedestrian crash in Launceston
UPDATED: A police officer has been charged over a crash that killed a pedestrian and seriously injured another in central Launceston earlier this year.
The Launceston News
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A POLICE officer has been charged with manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm and driving offences over a crash that killed a pedestrian and seriously injured another in central Launceston earlier this year.
A couple, aged in their 40s, were crossing the road when they were struck by a police car at the intersection of St John and Paterson streets shortly before 8.30pm on January 6.
The man died at the scene and the woman was flown to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne fighting for her life.
The accused male constable, 39, of northern Tasmania, was allegedly on duty and driving the marked vehicle when it and a silver Lancer collided after the police car entered the intersection on a red light with emergency lights flashing but no sirens.
The police car “flipped and spun around several times” on impact, causing it to hit the two pedestrians, who were visiting Tasmania from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
The constable has been stood down from duty and is scheduled to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court on July 8.
Tasmania Police on Monday said it was “not appropriate to make any further comment as the matter is now before the court”.
The Police Association of Tasmania again expressed condolences to the family of the pedestrians involved in the incident and acknowledged the seriousness of the charges laid against the officer.
“We will continue to offer our support to our member throughout the lengthy legal process,” PAT president Colin Riley said.
“This is a tragedy for all involved, particularly the family of the NSW man who died, when a police vehicle, another car and the pedestrians collided.”
The charges come more than three months after the fatal crash.
On January 15, Professional Standards Acting Commander Peter Harriss told the Mercury the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision could take some months “due to the multiple avenues of inquiry being undertaken”.
At that time, the constable was on leave but had not been suspended from duty or placed in a non-operational role.
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