Motorcycle Cop Convicted Over Crash

[Momz]

 Friday, May 02, 2014

A motorcycle police officer has been convicted and discharged after rear-ending another motorcycle officer during a training exercise.

Sergeant Mark Moody, 51,  pleaded guilty to careless use causing injury following the crash between two bikes on January 22 last year about 11.15am on Longbush Rd in Carterton.

The two men had been part of a motorcycle recertification course and convoy training exercise over two days and had travelled from Ohakea Air base.  The group had been intended to take a break and the lead officer slowed immediately after a bend intending to stop. Moody hit him from behind.

Both men were injured with Moody receiving serious injuries.  The other rider had a fracture to a finger, friction burns, concussion, chest bruising and sprained ligaments.

Wellington District Court judge Tom Broadmore convicted and discharged Moody and gave him one months disqualifications after finding there were special circumstances that meant he could reduce the amount of time he disqulified Moody for.

Moody's lawyer Letizea Ord said a serious crash investigation report, commissioned by the defence, mentioned criticisms of the leader of the exercise about not exercising more control of the ride.

She said there had not been clear communication about taking a break and it had been inherently risky that the convoy was riding in staggered formation.

Ord said there was no criticism of the lead rider who was hit but it was an irony that reports had criticised the exercise and how it was handled by Moody's employer who then decided to prosecute him.

Moody spent a month in hospital and later had to have a hip replacement and was unlikely to be able to ride a police motorcycle again.  He had served for 30 years without a blemish, Ord said.

Judge Broadmore did not order any reparation accepting that Moody had paid money to his colleague so that he was not out of pocket already.

Moody, who is back at work on light duties, is not likely to lose his job but still has to face an internal police disciplinary process.