KEY POINTS:
Police are investigating claims the police vehicle which smashed into a lamp post seriously injuring a 13-year-old boy did not have its lights or sirens on.
Farhat Buksh, 13, suffered massive head injuries when he was hit by a falling lamp-post during a police pursuit while on a crossing on Richardson Rd, Mt Albert, last week.
The pole fell on him after being hit by a police car which swerved to avoid him and the two cars which stopped at the crossing. Police have only "sketchy" details of the green 4WD which the driver of the police car says he had been pursuing and have been unable to track the vehicle.
Two inquiries have been launched into the accident, including one by the Police Complaints Authority.
Fighting for his life in an induced coma last week, Farhat underwent two four-hour surgeries last Saturday and is now out of intensive care.
Sergeant Peter Raynes confirmed police were investigating claims made by witnesses that the police car did not have lights or sirens on.
Under police pursuit policy, police must turn on both their lights and sirens as soon as the vehicle travels in excess of the speed limit. The speed limit on Richardson Rd is 50km/h.
A week ago, police said they believed the police car had been travelling at about 70km/h. Raynes said he was now unsure that was the case and was hoping skid mark and brake tests would determine the exact speed of the car.
The pursuit had been under way for about a minute, but the constable had not contacted communications staff about the chase or whether it should be continued.
Since being hospitalised, Farhat has come out of his coma but hadn't yet opened his eyes.
"He's getting better which is good news. He can remember a lot of things, and his memory hasn't gone," the boy's mother, who did not want to be named, said.
"But this was so unnecessary, he's just a 13-year-old boy, a lovely child. I'm not angry but the police should settle this investigation quickly and not hide anything."
The Mt Roskill Grammar student was walking to the flat he shares with his grandmother Nisha Ali when he was hit.
Police say a green 4WD vehicle pulled a u-turn in front of a routine checkpoint on nearby Hendon Ave, and the constable gave chase down Richardson Rd.The unmarked police car swerved to miss two cars stopped at a pedestrian crossing outside Owairaka Primary School, which were waiting to let Farhat cross.
The constable clipped the rear car and ploughed into the lamp.
Kunal Shah was driving home from work and was the first car stopped at the pedestrian crossing.
He said the police car did not have its siren on, although he saw the lights flashing after the accident.
Eyewitness Carol Eruera told the Herald on Sunday that the unmarked police car did not have its lights flashing or siren on.
