Officer charged over motorcycle crash

[EnzoYug]

A police officer who collided with two motorcyclists on Upper Buller Gorge has been charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing injury.

The crash happened on December 1 as Sergeant Tony Bridgman turned his patrol car around on State Highway 6 to follow another motorcyclist who had been speeding.
Wellington motorcyclists Brent Russell and Marty Collins rounded a bend, colliding with the car. Both riders suffered serious injuries.

Mr Bridgman, who heads a highway patrol team in Blenheim, will continue his duties in the patrol car while awaiting his appearance in Nelson District Court in late January....

Read more here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10484144

[Clivoris]

Sauce for the goose....

[fireball]

so who wants to predict the outcome of this one?......

[Oakie]

He'll be found guilty and fined. He will not lose his license.

[fireball]

He'll be found guilty and fined. He will not lose his license.

but still remain a cop? as im sure you have to have a clean drivers record to be a cop.....

[Oakie]

but still remain a cop? as im sure you have to have a clean drivers record to be a cop.....

I'm not sure on what level of law breaking an existing cop can go to before getting the heave-ho. I wouldn't be surprised if a bit of desk-duty is the outcome but I reckon they'd be a bit reticent to say goodbye to cop if his record is otherwise clean.

[Swoop]

I'm not sure on what level of law breaking an existing cop can go to before getting the heave-ho.

Going by Clint Rickards... quite a lot actually.

[pete376403]

"If he is convicted, if he's disqualified then I'll have to find him something to do that doesn't involve driving a car," Tasman police district commander Grant O'Fee said.
Promotion?

[Drew]

The funny thing is, dangerous driving is a CRIMINAL conviction, not a traffic offence. The license issue is at the discretion of the court, so he may well keep it, however I'm confused about how he can keep his job if he does get found guilty.

Surely a criminal record equals not being a cop??? Scumdog, give us the skinny will ya! (Not details of the case, but the rules regarding the conviction like)

[Quasievil]

You Can be a cop even with a drink driving charge these days or other minor convictions

[scracha]

Cripes...don't hang the guy. I'm sure when it's all weighed up the benefits to NZ of him being a traffic cop outweigh everything else.

He made a mistake (it wasn't deliberate, he wasn't drinking and driving, etc) and he should be given a suitable punishment. Desk jockey for a few months followed by some driving training perhaps

I don't think its the fact he did the stupid U-turn that pissed everyone else off so much as they way he didn't admit being in the wrong and tried to blame speeding motorcyclists. The fact he didn't say "sorry, I made a terrible mistake" etc etc should be taken into consideration for his sentence.

I still say the crap about "cops being good judges of speed" is just that.

[Ixion]

Dangerous driving causing injury is a more serious offence than dangerous driving. Penalty up to 5 years gaol, $20000 fine, and mandatory disqualification for at least one year unless there are special reasons relating to the offence (Land Transport Act 1998 S36, 81). I imagine the courts will bend over backwards to find special reasons.

Although I must say that dangerous seems harsh, careless or at most reckless I would have thought. Not that the prick gets any sympathy after his "you were speeding " shit.

[Unit:Me]

In my humble opinion, no one, especially a cop, should do a three point turn on the exit of a corner that is open road speed, period. What are they teaching in cop school these days? As Scratcha said, he may have an excellent record in service, but any of our lives can take a turn for the worse with one stupid decision.

[skidMark]

Going by Clint Rickards... quite a lot actually.

he was tied into contract.

wouldve cost them mega bucks to give him the kick.

was cheaper to buy him a car and wait out his contract.

[Renegade]

In my humble opinion, no one, especially a cop, should do a three point turn on the exit of a corner that is open road speed, period. What are they teaching in cop school these days? As Scratcha said, he may have an excellent record in service, but any of our lives can take a turn for the worse with one stupid decision.

i dont think cop school has any thing to do with it, being that he is a sergeant he is likely to have been around for at least the last 10 years, yeah he made a mistake, dosnt mean that he should get treated more hasrhly than any one else would have, so careless causing injury will no doubt be the outcome.