Police motorcyclist injured by falling tree

[rastuscat]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10542430

Police motorcyclist injured by falling tree
2:53PM Tuesday Nov 11, 2008

A scenic ride from Franz Josef Glacier to Nelson for a party of motorcycle police turned bad yesterday when a tree suddenly slumped down a cliff and across the road, taking out the lead rider.

The four officers were returning to the Wellington Police College after helping with the Tour of Southland cycle race at the weekend when the small landslip struck, just north of Punakaiki on the West Coast.

"We were riding along enjoying the trip and a large tree just fell down directly on to the front rider," Sergeant Wayne Christie, of Wellington, said.

"He was lucky it hit the front of the bike. Less than a split second later and it would have been fatal."

The accident happened on a hilly section of State Highway 6, 5km north of Punakaiki, about 12.30pm.

The injured officer was treated for deep lacerations. He was flown to Grey Base Hospital by the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter an hour later.

The Runanga Volunteer Fire Brigade attended, along with the Greymouth police and St John paramedics.

"We're really thankful to a passing tourist, a fire paramedic who assisted us," Mr Christie said.

The tree was brought down after heavy overnight rain, although the rain had stopped and the road was starting to dry out when the accident happened.

The road was blocked for about an hour until it was moved and the road swept of dirt and debris.

- NZPA




Bugger, hope he's okay.

[MIXONE]

The coasters don't like bike cops and probably were up there assisting the tree in falling.

[scumdog]

Meh, just shows shit can happen.

Anywhere.

[James Deuce]

The coasters don't like bike cops and probably were up there assisting the tree in falling.

Nah, Ninjas did it.

[Griffin]

Doesnt matter how careful you are or how well trained / experienced you may be... wierd shit like this just proves that you cant be prepared for everything.

Hope he recovers well...

[hayd3n]

arghh owchie

[Katman]

wierd shit like this just proves that you cant be prepared for everything.

I was waiting for someone to say this (except I was expecting it to be preceded by "See Katman..............")

Maybe though, the officers awareness and preparedness turned that potentially fatal accident into just a serious injury one.

[James Deuce]

Doesnt matter how careful you are or how well trained / experienced you may be... wierd shit like this just proves that you cant be prepared for everything.

The reality is that weird shit happens very, very rarely. Most people fall off because they catch themselves out. Another person's bad luck with a UFO-tree isn't permission to give up on being an alert responsible motorcyclist.

Hope he recovers well...

Me too.

[Toaster]

Maybe though, the officers awareness and preparedness turned that potentially fatal accident into just a serious injury one.

Nice.

And maybe he could now be considered to be in a "special branch".

Tree-mendous news to hear he survived.

[Katman]

Nice.

And maybe he could now be considered to be in a "special branch".

Tree-mendous news to hear he survived.

Leaf it out.

[James Deuce]

Here I was expecting Katman to bark back.

[Toaster]

Leaf it out.

You WOOD like that wouldn't you.

Here I was expecting Katman to bark back.

He would but he is STUMPED.

Boom tish.......

[Katman]

Here I was expecting Katman to bark back.

I'm too rooted.

[MotoKuzzi]

Nice.

And maybe he could now be considered to be in a "special branch".

Tree-mendous news to hear he survived.

Pardon the Pun-(akaiki)

[98tls]

Here I was expecting Katman to bark back.

And here we have the root of the problem.