KEY POINTS:
A schoolboy left fighting for his life after a police car chase went wrong cannot remember the day of the accident - and is upset police have not visited him in hospital.
Farhat Buksh, 13, suffered critical head injuries and a fractured neck two weeks ago when he
was hit by a toppling lamp-post while walking across a pedestrian crossing in Mt Albert, Auckland. The lamp-post had been struck by a police car chasing someone who allegedly avoided an alcohol checkpoint.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Farhat told the Herald on Sunday he was a "little angry" with police about the accident but he was focusing on getting better.
"I can't remember anything from that day, it's a complete blank. People have told me the sirens weren't going, though," Farhat said.
"I don't think police should be chasing that fast, maybe they could just get the car registration."
He accepted the police chase was an accident as "everyone makes mistakes" but was disappointed that police had not contacted him about the investigation, or inquired about his own recovery.
Farhat lives with his grandmother Nisha Ali, who has spent only two nights away from her "babu" (baby) since the accident.
She feared he would die after he needed a second surgery to relieve pressure on his brain - Farhat's shaven head bears long scars across the back of his skull - but he woke up after a week in a coma.
Three days ago he walked for the first time after originally appearing paralysed on the left side. Farhat wants to return to school tomorrow.
Starship hospital surgeons visited him yesterday morning and were pleased with the most recent brain scans.
He can remember familiar faces and other memories were slowly coming back.
However, Farhat cannot return to his Mt Roskill Grammar School for at least a fortnight and misses his mates, his favourite social studies class and downloading rock songs and games on his computer at home.
Two police inquiries have been launched into the accident, including investigating claims the police car did not have its lights or sirens on.
The pole fell on Farhat after being hit by the police car which swerved to avoid him and two cars 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.
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.
Two weeks ago, police said they believed the police car had been travelling at about 70km/h but said that skid mark and brake tests would determine the exact speed.
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.
The constable clipped the rear car and ploughed into the lamp-post.
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.
An eyewitness to the accident, Carol Eruera, told the Herald on Sunday that the unmarked police car did not have its lights flashing or its siren on.
Police were unavailable for comment yesterday.
