Teen critical after road-spike crash

Grum · 30-11-2006, 11:05 AM

Teen critical after road-spike crash
Email Print Normal font Large font Craig Dixon
November 30, 2006 - 10:17AM

A teenager was critically injured when an allegedly stolen car driven by a 16-year-old slammed into a tree and burst into flames after hitting road spikes laid by police.

Police placed the spikes on the Goulburn Valley Highway at Numurkah, central Victoria, after calling off a high-speed pursuit yesterday.

A police spokeswoman said the chase was abandoned after the vehicle reached speeds up to 170kmh. She said the spikes, also known as "tyre-deflation devices" and "stop sticks", were placed on the road 40kms from where the pursuit was called off.

She said that, although police had ended the chase, they decided to lay the spikes because the car was "barrelling towards Shepparton and peak hour traffic".

After crossing the spikes, the driver lost control and the car smashed into a tree just before 5pm.

Police pulled a teenager from the wreckage and put out a fire in the car before pulling another teenager from the wreck.

The 16-year-old boy from Campbellfield, in Melbourne's north, was taken by ambulance to the Goulburn Valley Base Hospital in Shepparton with minor injuries.

The 18-year-old male passenger, also from Campbellfield, was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition.

The Major Collision Investigation unit is investigating the crash.

The police spokeswoman said that road spikes had been exdtensively trialled by police since the State Government introduced them last year but she was unaware of any previous incidents involving their use.

Unveiling the devices last year, then Police Minister Tim Holding described them as "an important part in making sure that road pursuits . . can be ended safely".

About 200 "stop sticks" were to be issued to stations around the state, with about 8000 police expected to be trained in their use.

The spikes are designed to be thrown across a road as a vehicle approaches and are meant to bring it to a controlled stop.

theage.com.au, with AAP

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...777689919.html

**Polyal** · 30-11-2006, 11:07 AM

Well better them instead of an innocent bystander. How stupid are some people, the percentages of people that actually get away must be very small.

photn · 30-11-2006, 11:08 AM

another wonderfull american invention. and as most of them designed to be "SAFE"...

now dont get me wrong....what those kids where doing is stupid and wreckless. but spikes....come on... there has to be other Methods....

**Polyal** · 30-11-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

another wonderfull american invention. and as most of them designed to be "SAFE"...

What and its better to just let them go? That would set a good example and be a great deterant.

edit:...LOL changed ya post huh :newangel:

pb02 · 30-11-2006, 11:10 AM

Exactly, however I'm sure some minority group will blame the police and the use of the spike strips......
It's stupid to think that you can get away with things like this. We are all responsible for our OWN actions!

EA2BA · 30-11-2006, 11:15 AM

they hit the spikes, probably panicked and hit the tree, they started it, the police finished it, all is fair when you knowingly break the law.

GCFordChic · 30-11-2006, 11:21 AM

Dont you just love the media... :yeees:

"I know! Why dont we just blame the police and the spike strips?"

_

photn · 30-11-2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

What and its better to just let them go? That would set a good example and be a great deterant.

edit:...LOL changed ya post huh :newangel:

yahuh i saw how i could of been miconstruded as taking there side....hey im on the police side. i know they where speeding being wreclkess and needed to be stopped. but watch the american police series things and when ppl hit the spikes. they tend to not end up nicely....i just thought that there could be another meassure......

Ford_Boy · 30-11-2006, 11:22 AM

good work by the police. id rather them lay spikes then excede speed limits and endager people around them.

pb02 · 30-11-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCFordChic

Dont you just love the media... :yeees:

"I know! Why dont we just blame the police and the spike strips?"

_

I agree. It will either be the fault of the Police or the fault of his parents.
After all, he's just some innocent kid whose parents didn't teach him better

: (please note the sarcasm!)

Just once I would love to see justice and see someone punished for the actions they take.

pb02 · 30-11-2006, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

i just thought that there could be another meassure......

There is! DON'T RUN FROM THE POLICE!!!!!!!!

merlin · 30-11-2006, 11:29 AM

I think road spikes are a relativley safe way to end a pursuit with obvious rare exceptions- who cares what happened to the scum bag car theives - not me. No one innocent died thats the main thing.

brendan88 · 30-11-2006, 11:29 AM

Don't steal cars it simple. I don't think those ******* will ever do it again lol. Well done to the Police for catching them.

Grum · 30-11-2006, 11:35 AM

I just feel sorry for the poor tree....

**Mechan1k** · 30-11-2006, 11:39 AM

By the sounds of the article the Police did a good job in stopping the vehicle. They were doing 170km/h anyway ... trying to control a vehicle with flat tyres at that speed would be near impossible anyway.

They are lucky to be alive ... but the main thing is they were stopped and caught .. and they are off the road ... also that no innocent people were hurt.

Well done to the Police.

I6corp · 30-11-2006, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grum

I just feel sorry for the poor tree....

Yeah... Wait until the Greens hear about this, all hell will break loose :evilsasmo

But on a serious note, road spikes have proven again, and again that they work...
and in most cases are safe..

But there is always going to be the rare occasion when it turns bad.

4.9 EF Futura · 30-11-2006, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCFordChic

Dont you just love the media... :yeees:

"I know! Why dont we just blame the police and the spike strips?"

_

EXACTLY!!!!!

It's like a fricken magic trick. "Watch, as i transform this CRIMINAL into a VICTIM before your very eyes".

Abaracadabra.

Of course its horrible that the criminal was killed... but one might argue that stealing cars and leading police on high speed chases is a fairly dangerous occupation. At 170km/hr, a rock will be enough to send you into a tree.

If extreme measures needed to be taken to protect innocent road users then... thats the way the cookie happened to crumble.

Piotr · 30-11-2006, 12:34 PM

The Police did there job very well. I have NO sympathy for the people involved in the crash. I would much rather see cars being spikes and coming to a halt that way. If you are running from the police how dare you turn around and critisize the police for saving lives.

How many times have you heard about people being injured or killed when a car running from the cops have hit another vehicle. Im much happier seeing a small increase (If any) in the crash rate of fleeing cars if it will stop or reduce inocent victims from being hurt.

XCSEDAN · 30-11-2006, 12:37 PM

i'm not a fan of anything that deflates a tyre, clearly if the police called off the chase then the bloke wasn't gunna slow down, and personally i don't know why on earth they would put them out 40km after the chase had ended!
flat tires at high speeds make the car pretty much uncontrolable!
god dammit our government is stupid!
but then again they could think of another way to slow the car, maybe like wat they do off 2 Fast 2 Furious LOL make an EMP thingo that sux all your batteries power!

Smoke Pursuit · 30-11-2006, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

yahuh i saw how i could of been miconstruded as taking there side....hey im on the police side. i know they where speeding being wreclkess and needed to be stopped. but watch the american police series things and when ppl hit the spikes. they tend to not end up nicely....i just thought that there could be another meassure......

Haha who gives a toss! I can see it in a few months, their parents on ACA or something alike having a sob story / crack at the police, how many times have we seen police get into the shit for running kids in stolen cars up trees over the years, too many.

Im over criminals, they all get off too lightly.

Dezza · 30-11-2006, 12:44 PM

They got themselves killed, and it was their fault for breaking numerous laws. Thankfully they didn't injure any innocent people, but I have no time for car thieves. I know that a life was lost, but maybe that might teach people a lesson. Don't steal cars and try to flee the cops. You're not doing yourself any favours.

Smoke Pursuit · 30-11-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XYSEDAN

i'm not a fan of anything that deflates a tyre, clearly if the police called off the chase then the bloke wasn't gunna slow down, and personally i don't know why on earth they would put them out 40km after the chase had ended!
flat tires at high speeds make the car pretty much uncontrolable!
god dammit our government is stupid!
but then again they could think of another way to slow the car, maybe like wat they do off 2 Fast 2 Furious LOL make an EMP thingo that sux all your batteries power!

So we should just let them get away?

I dont think so, the only reason they uses spike strips now is because there was so much up roar about police and high speed pursuits, since a few kids over the years have been killed due to driving up trees when been chased.

photn · 30-11-2006, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSTerritoryGhia

Haha who gives a toss! I can see it in a few months, their parents on ACA or something alike having a sob story / crack at the police, how many times have we seen police get into the shit for running kids in stolen cars up trees over the years, too many.

Im over criminals, they all get off too lightly.

true the whole mac fields thing......i spose that i just see any loss of live regardless of what laws they are breaking as bad...but thats just me., ( i dont intend to stir up a storm or anything. please if you dont like my point of views. just ignore my posts)

peedee · 30-11-2006, 01:03 PM

Go the police. Maybe we should start putting nudge bars back on polce cars like the mini coopers had in the late 60's and the americans have now.
The coopers used to stop a lot of speeding bikers around bathurst on the easter weekends hen the races were on, bike speeding refused to pull over touch on back whel of bike with nudge bar no more chase.

**Raptor** · 30-11-2006, 01:08 PM

Why does the media headline read: Teen critical after road-spike crash

Instead of something like;
Police stop alleged car thief from causing further harm while driving underage in a highly dangerous manor.

Good for the cops. Boo to the media.

Stiff for the scumbag, I say bill him the ambulance ride, emergency airlift and clean-up costs as well. Not to mention recompense for the cars owner.

And have him plant another tree.

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

.... spikes....come on... there has to be other methods....

Bullet to the temple perhaps?

brendo83 · 30-11-2006, 01:46 PM

I think the spike strips they use over here are a bit different to the ones the yanks use, they are designed to make the tyre slowly deflate rather than blow out like in the US, thought obviously they are not fool proof, its either put the speeding driver at risk, or risk the innocent people they might kill by letting the get away.
I think our pursuit tactics are fairly safe compared to the yanks, those guys are god damned cowboys.

**Mechan1k** · 30-11-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brendo83

I think our pursuit tactics are fairly safe compared to the yanks, those guys are god damned cowboys.

Makes for great TV viewing on America's Wildest Police Chases though.

Ford_Boy · 30-11-2006, 02:36 PM

i dont see the fuss it says the boys survived but one is in a critical condition. thats the best result you can expect if your speeding from police at 170km/h. they could have hit other vehicles and caused death because they were breaking the law. the heading should have been. police save lives. im 17 and i cant see why teenagers my age wnat to steel cars for. get a job get your licence and buy your own car.

MITCHAY · 30-11-2006, 02:39 PM

/MITCHAY hugs his Brandt anti-theft system!

Well they are going to get their punishment twice. 1st being going to hospital and the 2nd going to jail hopefully. That is of course they don't get a slap on the wrist.

brodfloyd · 30-11-2006, 02:47 PM

one one hand these hippies want the government want to take young drivers licences for going 3km an hour over the speed limit, or ban them from having passengers or driving anything but a Lada

on the otherhand, if you go 70km over the limit in a speeding car they want the police to let them go?

anyone see the irony?