Police name motorcyclist killed in collision

Police said the motorcyclist came over a hill and collided with the turning patrol car. Photo / NZ Police

Police have named the motorcyclist who died when his bike collided with a patrol car which was doing a U-turn at the time.

He was Paul Adam Timothy Brown, 38, from Te Kauwhata.

District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman said the police officer in the patrol car detected a ute travelling at speeds of 154km an hour before doing the u-turn.

"The officer activated his lights and sirens and moved his vehicle to the left intending to carry out a turning manoeuvre to follow the speeding vehicle, partway through this Mr Brown has come over the brow of a hill and encountered the patrol car partway across his lane and collided with it," Mr Tooman said.

Mr Tooman said he hoped the driver of the ute would come forward to help police with their investigation, including an investigation by the Serious Crash Unit and the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

The man's death has also been reported to the Coroner, who will carry out his own investigation to determine the cause of his death.

Mr Tooman said police investigations would be supervised by a senior officer from outside the district with peer review by a crash investigator also from outside the district.

"We want to be able to carry out a comprehensive, accurate investigation to help bring this tragic event to a close for Mr Brown's family and for the reassurance of both the public and indeed our own staff," said Mr Tooman.

The crash happened on Waerenga Rd, east of Te Kauwhata in northern Waikato, at 4.15pm yesterday.

The 38-year-old motorcyclist was thrown several metres from the impact of the crash, suffering fatal injuries.

- NZHERALD STAFF