Patrol car crash won't be probed: Police

Photo / File

An accident involving a police patrol car about to do a u-turn on a busy highway will not be investigated by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).

The driver of the patrol car collided with another motorist on State Highway 1 in Hamilton yesterday afternoon while attempting to do the u-turn, Hamilton Police said.

The officer, who was heading east on Cobham Dr to an unrelated job, noticed a stolen car parked on the side of the road and tried to turn around before the intersection with Grey St shortly before 2pm, Senior Sergeant Pete Van De Wetering said.

"The officer has activated his flashing lights and slowed, intending to perform a u-turn when the patrol car has collided with a following car," Mr Van De Wetering said.

"The male driver of the other car was unhurt in the crash and police dropped the man at his work and took his vehicle home."

Hamilton Police spokesman Andrew McAlley said the crash, which happened on an 80km/h stretch of the four-lane highway, would not be referred to the IPCA because it was not a police pursuit and no-one was injured.

However he said police would still investigate it. Mr McAlley would not say if the officer was a man or woman.

Traffic was reduced to two west bound lanes for a short period of time before returning to normal about 2.35pm.

Cobham Dr feeds traffic through a bypass of the city from State Highway 1 in the south and north, as well as into Hamilton itself.

A motorcyclist was killed near Te Kauwhata in April last year when a veteran highway patrol officer performed a u-turn on the brow of hill to chase a speeding driver.

Senior Constable Michael Lenihan was cleared of dangerous driving causing death but convicted of a lesser charge of careless driving for making the u-turn which led to the death of 37-year-old Paul Brown.

Mr Brown crashed into Lenihan's police car at high speed on Waerenga Rd as the officer tried to pursue another motorist.