The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has determined that a Christchurch police officer’s decision to signal a stolen car to stop, moments before it was involved in a serious crash, was justified given the circumstances.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 22 October 2022, when three stolen Toyota Aqua vehicles were spotted travelling in convoy around Christchurch’s central city area.

A police dog handler initially located the vehicles but lost sight of them and continued to search the area.

While driving slowly along Stanmore Road, one of the stolen cars, containing four young occupants, suddenly exited a side street without stopping, colliding with the front of the police dog handler’s car.

The driver of the Aqua did not stop after the collision, instead accelerating away down Stanmore Road.

In response, the dog handler activated his lights and siren to signal the car to stop.

However, as the stolen car approached the intersection with Avonside Drive and continued to accelerate, the officer recognised the danger and deactivated his lights and siren, slowing down and pulling to the side of the road.

Despite the police officer’s attempt to de-escalate the situation, the stolen vehicle ran a red light at the Gloucester Street intersection and collided with a vehicle travelling through a green light.

The impact of the crash ejected a backseat passenger from the stolen car, causing life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other vehicle involved did not sustain any injuries, and the driver and two remaining passengers of the stolen car were able to exit the vehicle and move to the footpath.

The entire incident, from the initial collision between the stolen car and the police dog handler’s van to the crash at the Gloucester Street intersection, unfolded in just 24 seconds.

The IPCA found that the officer’s decision to signal the stolen car to stop was a finely balanced but reasonable judgment based on the situation he faced.

The Authority also supported the decision to slow down and deactivate the lights and siren when it became clear the car would not stop, particularly as the intersection approached.

Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill supported the IPCA’s findings, commending the officer’s actions. “The dog handler made quick decisions based on the circumstances in front of him, all in a period of 24 seconds. That’s how unpredictable and dangerous these types of events can be,” Hill said. “It is unfortunate that the driver of this stolen vehicle showed little regard for anyone else, putting the lives of a member of the public, their own passengers, and a police officer at risk.”

Superintendent Hill highlighted the challenging situations police officers face daily, acknowledging the dog handler’s agile and decisive decision-making during the incident.

Following the crash, police arrested four individuals aged between 10 and 15.