31 Jul 2010

Third person dies from car crash after police pursuit

4:45 pm on 31 July 2010

A third person has died as the result of a road crash following a police pursuit in Christchurch three weeks ago.

Karleane Marie Magon, 20, was a passenger in the car that hit a power pole on Moorhouse Ave while fleeing police on 10 July.

The driver and the front-seat passenger were also killed.

Police said at the time that a patrol car stopped a Mitsubishi Lancer carrying six people for a routine check on Manchester St just after 1am but that the car sped off as an officer approached it.

They said they chased the car for a few blocks and found it crashed into a concrete power pole.

Ms Magon is the 11th person to die in a police pursuit this year.

A review of the pursuits policy has recommended changes to the way they are managed, including giving senior officers travelling as passengers in the patrol car the authority to call off a chase.