Dead officer from a police family (+videos/pics)

Fatal accident followed four-minute chase after carjacking

The Dominion Post

Crash investigators spent most of today in the Titahi Bay street where a 52-year-old police sergeant was fatally struck by a stolen car early this morning.
 Exclusive: CCTV footage of police chase
View video: Police officer killed on duty

Sergeant Derek Wootton was killed when he was struck by a black Honda Prelude car as he was laying road spikes in a street in the Porirua suburb about 3am. Police were chasing the car, which was allegedly carjacked from near the Tawa Swimming Pool about half an hour earlier.

The unemployed man charged over Mr Wootton's death was granted name suppression when he appeared in court his morning.

Mr Wootton joined the police in March 1994 and was a "very experienced frontline supervisor", Wellington Police District Commander Superintendent Pieri Munro said.

His death was "a huge loss for his family, friends and police colleagues".

"It's a very sobering time for all police but we are part of a respected professional service. Our staff are grieving but Derek's tragic death is not stopping us from fulfilling our job of policing our communities."

Police said flowers, home baking, cards, emails and other expressions of sympathy had flowed into Porirua station today.

EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS

Dimock St resident Justine Chalmers said she was woken up early by "sirens, banging and yelling".

The stolen car was eventually stopped across the road from her home.

She said she looked out to see the car and police stopping the two people.

One was taken away quickly and the other was put in a police car, which had since got stuck in the mud, she said.

Ms Chalmers said the all the police officers disappeared except one woman.

"Obviously someone came back and told her the sergeant was dead because she was crying and stuff. I took her over a cup of coffee with some sugar in it."

She said there had been about three police chases down the suburban street in the last couple of years.

A resident from further up the street, Ray Algar, said he heard the cars coming from the bottom of the street.

"When I got up I saw the mess.

"The worse part is it was a good friend of mine they killed."

He said Mr Wootton was a "really, really nice guy", who loved playing rugby, softball and singing along with a guitar.

"If you needed another brother, Derek would be it".

Another Dimock St resident told The Dominion Post she woke to the brief sound of screeching tyres and then heard the thud of an impact.

"The next thing we knew we could see flashing lights, not sirens, just the lights going and they were coming closer and closer to our house."

Her partner ran out into the street and saw the officer lying badly injured on the ground. Within moments a female officer had arrived at the scene and began frantically performing CPR.

"She worked very hard for a long time, till the first ambulance arrived. They worked on him for at least 20 minutes."

The woman’s partner said he took blankets out for the officer and offered to help as the female officer performed CPR.

"It was absolutely horrible to watch," the female resident said.

"Horrible that this could happen anywhere ... but in your own street and rushing out to try and help. How could you live with yourself if you were the driver?"

COURT APPEARANCE

A 32-year-old unemployed man appeared in Porirua District Court this morning charged with: aggravated robbery, relating to a carjacking in Tawa; dangerous driving; dangerous driving causing death; failing to stop after an accident; and a charge of kidnapping, relating to the second person in the vehicle, a 16 year old.

He stood in the dock with his arms folded as he was granted name suppression and remanded in custody.

Police allege the Honda Prelude was taken after a serious assault near the Tawa Swimming Pool around 2.30am.

A 16-year-old passenger was prevented from getting out before the car was driven away.

A police patrol saw the car in Awarua St at 2.44am. A four-minute pursuit followed. Police alleged the car was driven into the Porirua city centre, then back north along Titahi Bay Rd before it turned into Dimock St, where Mr Wootton was laying road spikes.

Police said the car driven by the alleged offender reached speeds of up to 160kmh, though pursuing police were not driving as fast.

After striking Mr Wootton, the stolen car stopped about 300m away. The driver fled but was captured not far away.

INVESTIGATION ONGOING

The car, which stopped on a homeowner's front section, remained in Dimock St covered by a tent as investigators study the crash scene.

Early this morning, a police-issue stab-proof vest, with a radio still attached, could be seen lying on the ground near where Mr Wootton was struck.

Police were looking into how the road spikes were deployed, whether they were thrown or anchored by Mr Wootton.

FORCE UNDER THREAT

Before joining the force Mr Wootton was a builder and milkman.

Commissioner Howard Broad and Deputy Commissioner Lyn Provost met with the deceased sergeant family and police colleagues today.

Mr Wootton was promoted to sergeant in Upper Hutt in 2003. He returned to Porirua as a frontline sergeant in 2006.

His partner Bronwyn Hewitt works as a non-sworn dispatcher at the Police Central Communications Centre. His brother, Dave Wootton, is a police officer in Wellington and his mother Cath has volunteered at the Porirua Community Policing Base for 18 years.

Mr Wootton was "still doing the hard yards" and was experienced and well respected, Mr Munro said.

"He had a special affinity with young police officers."

He had recently been awarded a 14-year-long service and conduct medal.

Mr Wootton was a keen rugby player for the Northern United club in Porirua, Mr Munro said.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad said today's incident brought home the vulnerability faced daily by police.

He said the death showed the "rare but very real and ever present threat that we all share".

"Here is a man who has paid the price," Mr Broad told a press conference.

Mr Wootton becomes the 27th police officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Kapiti Mana police commander Inspector John Spence said the officer's tragic death in the line of duty has devastated colleagues. Welfare support is in place for the officer's family and for colleagues, especially those first to the scene.

The car, which had been carjacked in Tawa, went through the spikes and was stopped by police about 300m further up the street, he said.

CPR by police and ambulance officers were unsuccessful and the policeman died at the scene.

Two people who were in the offending vehicle are currently being spoken to by police.

Police were appealing for witnesses who may have seen the car being driven around the Elsdon and Titahi Bay areas.

TRAGEDY FOR POLICE

Prime Minister Helen Clark said it was a tragedy and it was a very sad day for his family, the police force and all New Zealanders.

"The police work so hard to support and protect our communities," she said through a spokeswoman.

"To see an officer killed in the line of duty is an appalling tragedy.

"The thoughts of all New Zealanders are with his family and colleagues today."

The death shows how risky the job is, Police Association president Greg O'Connor said.

"Inherently there are risks involved in the job and this brings it home."

He refused to talk about the dead policeman or the incident but said in the last few years there had been a big change in the attitude of some people towards the police.

"More and more people are prepared to have a go. They wouldn't have in the past. That is the big change in policing," he said.

The last police officer killed in the line of duty was Detective Constable Duncan Taylor.

He was fatally shot at Rongotea, near Feilding, in 2002.

Daniel Luff, 17, was later convicted of killing him.

- with NZPA