U-turn cop to stand trial

[Eddieb]

The Blenheim policeman charged with dangerous driving after a crash in the Buller Gorge that left two motorcyclists seriously injured has been committed to stand trial.

Full story at: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4579369a12855.html

[chanceyy]

Well so he should be ..

[Tank]

from stuff.co.nz

The Blenheim policeman charged with dangerous driving after a crash in the Buller Gorge that left two motorcyclists seriously injured has been committed to stand trial.

Blenheim-based Sergeant Anthony Dale Bridgman, 57, has denied two charges of dangerous driving causing injury to two Wellington motorcyclists who collided with his vehicle on December 1, while he was doing a U-turn.

Justices of the Peace Harry Baigent and Mary Harley concluded at the second day of a depositions hearing today that there was sufficient evidence to put Bridgman to trial.
Giving evidence in Nelson District Court yesterday motorcyclist Brent Russell said that the vehicle appeared suddenly across the road, leaving him only a few seconds to work out how to survive.

"But I thought I would probably die when I hit the car," he said.

Mr Russell told the court he was travelling with a group of motorcyclists from Wellington, intending to head to the West Coast.

He said one of the motorcyclists pulled over near the Buller Gorge Swingbridge and waved him and fellow rider Marty Collins past.
As they went around a bend, he saw Mr Collins steer to the right and a large white vehicle in front of him, lying diagonal to the road, the Nelson Mail reported.

"I realised I had very little room to manoeuvre and wondered what the hell I was going to do.

"I had thought of my wife and children and the consequences, obviously."

He said he suffered eight to 10 breaks in his pelvis, which required titanium plates.

He also lost the top of his right thumb and suffered a broken wrist - which required surgery - a broken pubic bone and concussion.

Mr Russell said Bridgman came over after the crash and asked him if he was okay.

He replied by asking "what the hell" Bridgman had been doing at that part of the road.

"His reply to me was that I was speeding. I replied to him an expletive, in effect go away."

Bridgman has remained working with Marlborough's highway patrol.

He was remanded at large to a callover on August 15.

[LittleJohn]

Hope he doesn't just get a slap on the hand like most other charges to cops....

[Skyryder]

Hope he doesn't just get a slap on the hand like most other charges to cops....

Even iffound guilty the Judge will tell him to appeal.............just like one did with Clark's drivers in Speedgate.


Skyryder

[jimbo600]

Hope he doesn't just get a slap on the hand like most other charges to cops....

Under the new code of conduct rules he'll get more than that.

If anything cops get hammered more than us normal types if found guilty.

[marty]

i'm sure they didn't need the judge to tell them to appeal.

and i know 2 cops that lost their licences, and subsequently their jobs, for dangerous/reckless driving.

[jimbo600]

i'm sure they didn't need the judge to tell them to appeal.

and i know 2 cops that lost their licences, and subsequently their jobs, for dangerous/reckless driving.

Ya see. Losing their jobs because of that is wrong. They're just folk like everyone else why should they get extra done. Pay the same penalty as everyone else no more no less.

[FLYMO]

heres the link with the pic of wats left
hope the barstard doesnt get off
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4579212a6007.html

[mark247]

Ya see. Losing their jobs because of that is wrong. They're just folk like everyone else why should they get extra done. Pay the same penalty as everyone else no more no less.

I agree but disagree. He should not lose his job because of what happened. But the fact that he has lost his drivers licence ( well he bloody well should of ) means that the follow on effect for a patrol cop would be he loses his job because he cant do it without a licence. I know people can get exemptions or whatever to drive whilst disqualified for there job between certain hours but i wouldnt want to be pulled up for dangerous driving by a cop who has lost his licence for the same thing, although he is just doing his job. If anyone else caused that accident they would of lost there licence certainly, so should he. Maybe before pulling his massive ugly aussie tank out infront of two bikes he should of thought for a second or two.

[Stormer]

The police are here to uphold the law and set an example.
All PC crap aside, he should be nailed to the floorboards for this one.

[mstriumph]

Under the new code of conduct rules he'll get more than that.

If anything cops get hammered more than us normal types if found guilty.

which is only fair and reasonable ----- they are supposed to be a good example to us miscreants

[Renegade]

He shouldnt lose his lively hood for that though, he has probably been a copper for the last 30 years and never had anything like this happen before, he should lose his licence, but not the job, maybe at his age its time to hang up the keys to the cop car, any other person who drive for a living dosnt lose their job if the are involved in a serious crash in the company car.

Granted that a conviction for such an offence would be hard to swallow for anyone let alone a cop.

What happened sux, but it happens every day to every day people, humans we are all.

[riffer]

The police are here to uphold the law and set an example.
All PC crap aside, he should be nailed to the floorboards for this one.

With all due respect to the riders involved in this incident, I would suggest that we consider him, like every other person charged with an offence or crime, innocent until proven guilty.

Wait for the trial Stormer. Truth will out.

[RantyDave]

A bad day for the very fine members of our law enforcement community. I see our upholders of moral and legal standards are also in trouble for beating the shit out of then repeatedly pepper spraying someone they picked up with some description of psychiatric disorder.

http://stuff.co.nz/4579293a10.html

Presumably the video footage will make the jury's job a lot easier. With any luck we can persuade the police to conduct their pack rapes, sorry, alleged pack rapes while on CCTV too.

Dave