One of the Bay's top cops is making a marvellous recovery after nearly dying in a road smash at Christmas.
Senior Sergeant Deirdre Lack is recovering in Tauranga Hospital after a head-on crash near Te Puke on December 22.
The 40-year-old sustained broken bones in each of her limbs and a cracked pelvis
in the smash, which also sent Daniel Longney, 19, of Te Puke, to hospital. Miss Lack was travelling to the Oceanblue Health and Fitness Club in Papamoa when the crash happened on State Highway 2, near Manoeka Rd about 4.45am.
In an exclusive interview with the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend today, Miss Lack said it wasn't until the fourth week after her crash that she realised what had happened.
"It's pretty vague. Pretty traumatic," she said.
She has been in hospital for seven weeks and will be in hospital for another month before being allowed to go home.
Her recovery is being helped by the fact she's so fit. Miss Lack has been a competitive athlete for 10 years and was able to be hoisted out of her bed and put in a wheelchair after four weeks because her pelvis had healed so well.
She said she would compete again and planned to return to the Te Puke police station when she was fully recovered.
In Miss Lack's absence, Sergeant Mark Holmes, of Tauranga South police station, is in charge at Te Puke.
Miss Lack said her recovery had at times been emotional and upsetting but she had been heartened by the support she'd received from the community.
Senior Sergeant Ian Campion, head of road policing in the Western Bay, said police still had one witness to interview before staff sat down to review the investigation and decide whether any further inquiries needed to be made or whether any charges would be laid.
He hoped that review would take place late next week or the following week.
Mr Longney's family declined to comment while the police investigation was under way when approached by the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.
