A massive jump in Bay of Plenty drivers fleeing police makes for “chilling reading” and a major change in attitude is needed by offenders who “think it’s cool or a game until blood is spilt”.
That’s the view of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Police Association regional director Scott Thompson as new figures show the number of fleeing drivers increased from 521 in 2021 to 902 last year – a rise of about 73 per cent.
Thompson is calling for a significant change in attitudes to this type of dangerous behaviour because fleeing drivers are probably among the “three most dangerous” situations police face regularly.
He said police feared being involved in incidents where someone was injured or killed.
Among the 902 fleeing drivers in the Bay of Plenty police district last year, 318 were in Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty – more than double the 135 drivers who fled police in 2021. In 2022, 54 drivers were pursued compared with 35 pursuits the year before. Another 141 drivers failed to stop in 2020 resulting in 132 pursuits.
Offenders in Tauranga last year included suspended driver Jay Beguely, who failed to remain stopped in Mount Maunganui traffic and then drove at an armed police officer at least three times, hitting his legs.
Beguely then rammed two vehicles, including a patrol car, before he fled at high speed and a pursuit around several streets ensued.
Reaching speeds of up to 140km/h in a 50km/h residential street, he overtook several vehicles in the face of oncoming traffic, drove on the wrong side of the road and narrowly avoided hitting a cyclist, plus other “reckless” manoeuvres to evade arrest.
Beguely, who has been convicted on a raft of driving and assault-related offences, including reckless driving, will be sentenced in July.
Between 2010 and October 2021 three people died and nine others were seriously injured in Tauranga and Western Bay Plenty as a result of fleeing-driver incidents. Serious injury crash data is not yet available for October 2021.
Court proceedings were taken against 180 fleeing drivers in the same district last year compared to 145 in 2021 and 115 in 2020.
In November, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced there would be a refresh to police policies on fleeing drivers, with those changes implemented in the first half of this year.
He said the new fleeing driver framework was to provide clarity for staff on when a pursuit may be justified, including the weight given to the threat of further harm if the offender or offenders were not apprehended immediately.
“The changes provide police with a more balanced position, that aims to hold people to account for their actions while still prioritising the safety of officers, the fleeing driver and other occupants, and the public,” he said.
On April 4, the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Act came into force, giving police a range of new enforcement tools and creating new offences for dealing with dangerous and reckless driving.
Police can now seize and impound vehicles for 28 days when they have reasonable grounds to believe a vehicle was used to drive dangerously or recklessly or was driven with aggravated carelessness causing injury or death to someone.
The Government also plans to change the Sentencing Act to increase the disqualification period for drivers who clocked up their second failing-to-stop offence from 12 months to two years and their vehicles could also be permanently forfeited and sold.
The owner of a fleeing vehicle could also have their vehicle impounded for 28 days if they do not help police locate the offending driver.
Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter urged all drivers to pull over and stop when signalled to do so.
“Fleeing from the police is not worth the risk of causing injury, or even death, to yourself or others. If you are signalled to stop, please pull over and stop.”
“The new [intervention] enforcement tools will help our staff keep the pressure on groups that are behaving badly and unlawfully in order to make the public safe and provide reassurance.”
Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton echoed Hunter’s comments.
“Police go to work every day to help people and their community and any incident that puts the lives of officers in danger is alarming and treated seriously.
“The decision to flee can have significant and sometimes horrific consequences for the driver, their family and friends, the public and police. Fleeing driver events are volatile, unpredictable and high risk to everyone involved.
“Drivers who choose not to pull over for police when instructed put everyone at risk. There is no excuse not to stop when signalled, and drivers who do so end up in greater trouble than if they had pulled up in the first place.
Scott Thompson, of the Police Association, also said the fleeing driver problem was at best “complex”.
“The latest statistics make for chilling reading. Tougher penalties hopefully will make those that choose not to stop to consider the risks they are taking, but it will not be until the new legislation has been in force for some time that the true value can be measured.”
Fleeing drivers, family violence and dealing with mentally affected persons were probably the three most dangerous situations police faced, he said.
The public wanted police to catch fleeing drivers and hold them accountable but did not want anyone to be hurt in that process.
“Currently some offenders think it’s cool or a game until blood is split and then invariably it is our members that are not only blamed [for the actions of an offender] but they also have to clean up the mess left behind.”
Thompson believed it would take a significant shift in attitudes before there would be a marked decrease in this dangerous behaviour.
Stacey Spall, the Automobile Association Bay of Plenty District Council’s chairwoman, said the increase in fleeing drivers was of a “huge concern”.
The Bay of Plenty AA appreciated the current pursuit policy was designed to minimise risk to the public and other drivers, but it was clear from statistics that the approach was not working.
“We very much support the efforts of our local police recently to tackle many road policing issues including increased visibility, breath screening and traditional traffic stops. But Bay of Plenty AA would also support more scope for our experienced road policing staff to make decisions to pursue drivers where they felt the risk was appropriate.
“The challenges of identifying, apprehending and sentencing these drivers clearly means fleeing can be considered the easy option for drivers acting, often, in incredibly risky manners.”
Caroline Perry, director of road safety charity Brake New Zealand, urged drivers to think twice about their actions.
“We urge all drivers not to flee police – your actions could result in you or someone else dying or suffering life-changing injuries.
“We hope that the new police enforcement tools will have an impact on deterring some drivers from fleeing and will help to take dangerous drivers off the road when caught.”
Defence counsel says Mark Hohua died after falling on to concrete steps while fleeing.