16 Jul 2008

Carjacking accused named

6:10 am on 16 July 2008

The man accused of a carjacking that led to the death of a policeman north of Wellington can now be named.

Name suppression for Andrew Popo, 32, was lifted when he appeared in the Porirua District Court on Tuesday afternoon.

He is charged with aggravated robbery, dangerous driving, dangerous driving causing death, kidnapping and failing to stop after an accident.

He was remanded in custody for another appearance on 8 August.

Sergeant Derek Wootton, 52, died at 3am last Friday while laying road spikes in Titahi Bay to stop a stolen Honda Prelude. He was hit by the car and died at the scene.

Police say they were chasing the car after it was taken from the nearby suburb of Tawa.

Sergeant Wootton was the 27th New Zealand police officer to die in the line of duty.