Inquest into the Death of Clinton Edward ROGERS
Inquest into the Death of Clinton Edward ROGERS
Delivered on : 15 August 2019
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Coroner Jenkin
Recommendations :N/A
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : Yes
There be no reporting or publication of the details of any of the versions of the WA Police Emergency Driving Policy and Guidelines, including, but not limited to, any cap on the speed at which police officers are authorised to drive.
Summary: The deceased at the time of his death was attempting to evade police and lost control of the motorcycle he was riding and collided with a brick wall.
On 18 November 2016 detectives from the Mirrabooka Police Station were conducting a routine patrol on Wanneroo Road, Balcatta when they observed the deceased riding his motorcycle with a pillion passenger near the corner of Sylvia Street and Wanneroo Road. The deceased pulled into a carpark and approached a parked car. Officers saw a backpack, which had been between the deceased and his passenger, about to be handed to the occupants of the car. The officers were immediately suspicious given the time of day and the fact that motorcycles are commonly used to conduct drug transactions.
As one of the officers was getting out of the police vehicle to speak to the deceased, the deceased suddenly rode over the carpark curb and onto Sylvia Street before accelerated heavily towards the Main Street intersection. Officers decided to intercept the deceased so further enquiries could be made and activated their vehicle’s activated emergency lights and sirens.
The deceased continued on Main Street through the Amelia Street traffic lights at speed, but police lost sight of his motorcycle as it disappeared over the crest of a hill on Main Street. As the deceased entered a sweeping right hand bend on Main Street, he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a brick boundary wall between two houses. The deceased died at the scene and his passenger sustained a fractured femur. Police did not see the crash and continued on Main Street to Wanneroo Road where they deactivated their vehicle’s lights and sirens. The officers subsequently became aware that the deceased had crashed and attended the scene.
The Coroner found that at the time of his death, the deceased was the subject of a suspended imprisonment order and several drivers licence disqualification periods. He did not have a licence to ride the motorcycle and a backpack found near the deceased contained a quantity of cash and methylamphetamine. The deceased was riding a powerful motorcycle he had purchased that day at speeds significantly in excess of the posted speed limit. The deceased was also found to have methylamphetamine in his system.
The Coroner was satisfied that the police officers did not contribute to, or cause the death of the deceased and that their actions were, in all of the circumstances, reasonable.
Catch Words: Police Pursuit : Methylamphetamine : Motorcycle : Accident
Last updated: 14-Nov-2019
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