15 Mar 2012

Police cleared over fatal car chase

12:35 pm on 15 March 2012

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has cleared police of any wrong-doing in relation to a fatal pursuit involving a teenager who drove at speeds of up to 180 km/h in a stolen car.

Timoti Mohi, who was 15, died when the car he was driving crashed into a power pole near the Market Road off-ramp on the Southern Motorway in Auckland, following a pursuit through the suburb of Grey Lynn in January 2011.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority says Timoti Mohi demonstrated by his actions that he was prepared to take great risks to avoid being caught .

The pursuit lasted 1 minute 17 seconds and was abandoned about 1km before the crash.

The authority says the pursuit was justified in law and under the fleeing driver policy, and was conducted in accordance with policy.

It says no police actions were contrary to law, unreasonable, unjustified, unfair or undesirable.