Police officer pleads not guilty to manslaughter over fatal CBD crash
An on-duty police officer allegedly involved in a fatal crash in Launceston’s CBD in January has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
The Launceston News
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AN on-duty police officer allegedly involved in a car crash that killed a pedestrian and seriously injured another in Launceston’s CBD in January has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm.
Suspended constable Aaron Tasman Bonner, 39, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Friday morning. A couple, aged in their 40s, were crossing Paterson St when they were allegedly 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.
It was alleged Mr Bonner was on duty and driving the marked vehicle when it entered the intersection on a red light with emergency lights flashing, but no sirens.
The marked police vehicle allegedly collided with a silver Mitsubishi Lancer, “flipped and spun around several times” on impact, causing it to hit the pedestrians, who were visiting Tasmania from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
At the conclusion of a lengthy Tasmania Police investigation in April he was charged with manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm, causing the death of another person by negligent driving and causing grievous bodily harm to another person by negligent driving. Mr Bonner has not entered a plea to the latter two charges and they were adjourned to be dealt with at a later date. He was committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court in Launceston on November 16 at 10.45am
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