‘An absolute waste’: Police officer remains in ICU after being hit by vehicle
A police officer remains in critical condition after being struck by a fleeing vehicle while laying road spikes in Palmerston North. Two teenagers have been charged in connection with the incident, which occurred during a weekend of multiple vehicle-related injuries in the region.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding youth crime and the dangers faced by law enforcement in the line of duty.
Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett speaks to media. A policeman was critically injured after being struck by a fleeing vehicle when laying road spikes near Palmerston North early on Saturday morning.
A senior police officer says he stood at the bedside of a critically injured colleague in despair over the weekend listening to machines whirring and thought “what an absolute waste”.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, the young policeman was allegedly hit by a fleeing driver in Palmerston North as he lay road spikes.
It was not the only incident in the region, with another man critically injured after being hit by a car in Feilding just two hours earlier. The driver fled the scene, police said.
The injured policeman was flown to Wellington Hospital, where he remains in intensive care.
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