A police officer who collided with two motorcyclists on Upper Buller Gorge has been charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing injury.
The crash happened on December 1 as Sergeant Tony Bridgman turned his patrol car around on State Highway 6 to follow another motorcyclist who had
been speeding.
Wellington motorcyclists Brent Russell and Marty Collins rounded a bend, colliding with the car.
Both riders suffered serious injuries.
Mr Bridgman, who heads a highway patrol team in Blenheim, will continue his duties in the patrol car while awaiting his appearance in Nelson District Court in late January.
"If he is convicted, if he's disqualified then I'll have to find him something to do that doesn't involve driving a car," Tasman police district commander Grant O'Fee said.
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Mr O'Fee was said it was an horrific incident for both the motorcyclists and officer.
"[The motorcyclists] are seriously injured. It's impacted on them terribly.
"[Mr Bridgman] is a pretty resilient sort of individual but I'm sure he's very shocked by it. It was something that happened very quickly, he made a decision in a split second and that decision will be tested in court. Terribly it's resulted in a crash that's got two people seriously hurt so he's pretty shocked by the whole thing."
Mr O'Fee said the Independent Police Conduct Authority would be monitoring the investigation and court hearing.
- NZPA
