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Archived Press Releases 2010 27th August 2010

Drivers who kill trying to outrun police must be charged with murder

(27th August 2010)

The Sensible Sentencing Trust wants drivers who kill while attempting to outrun police to be charged with murder.

The call comes after a driver trying to outrun Police crashed while running a red light killing two innocent people.

Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar said that in such cases the driver of the fleeing vehicle must be charged with murder.

“The responsibility and blame must be put where it belongs, these drivers are making conscious decisions to try and outrun the Police, they must be held fully accountable for their actions.”

“It always seems to be the Police who come under fire in these cases, as laws around police chases have progressively made it easier for those willing to have a go, the number willing to take the Police on have increased dramatically.”

Mr McVicar said while the Police have been tied in knots with rules around police chases it had sent the wrong signals to those prepared to try and run.

“Rather than continually hampering the Police and questioning their tactics we need to ensure that those who attempt to outrun Police know that they will be treated as escaping criminals – with consequences to match – and if they kill someone – they must know they will be charged with murder.”

“We would like to see this start with the Police making an example of the Christchurch criminal who killed two innocent people while trying to escape Police.”

“We want to see this criminal charged with murder."

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.