Inquest into the Death of Jordana KOSTOVSKI
Inquest into the Death of Jordana KOSTOVSKI
Delivered on : 22 October 2020
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Coroner Linton
Recommendations : Yes
I recommend that the WA Police Force give consideration to prioritising the provision of a tyre deflation device or stinger to all regional police stations in Western Australia, other than where it is clear it is not required. Training in the use of such devices should also be prioritised for all police officers stationed at those regional police stations, so that the majority of those officers are able to deploy the device during an incident.
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : Yes
On the basis it would be contrary to the public interest, I make an order that 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 : On the evening of 29 July 2017 two police officers from the Australind Police Station attempted to stop a car in Australind. The car was being driven by Ms Kostovski. When police attempted to stop Ms Kostovski she did not pull over and proceeded to drive erratically away from the police onto Forrest Highway. Ms Kostovski’s car eventually collided with another car. She suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene.
Police officers had followed Ms Kostovski while seeking instructions from Police Communications as to what to do next. On two occasions Ms Kostvski rammed her car into the following police vehicle. Police were instructed not to engage with Ms Kostovski, given her dangerous and aggressive driving behaviour, but they were given permission to follow her at a distance to keep an eye on her until other police officers could come to assist. The plan was for other police to bring ‘stingers’ to try to stop her. The police officer following her suspected she might be planning to take drastic action. Not long after, Ms Kostovski executed a u-turn and started driving at speed the wrong way down Forrest Highway. Ms Kostovski turned her lights turned off and one police vehicle had to get out of her way to avoid being hit head on.
Ms Kostovski continued to drive erratically and she was seen to throw a dog from the driver’s window. Witnesses agreed that Ms Kostovski’s manner of driving made a head on crash with another vehicle inevitable. There were a number of near misses with approaching cars before Ms Kostovski eventually crashed head on into a Nissan Patrol single cab utility. She suffered fatal injuries in the crash. The other driver suffered minor injuries.
The Coroner found Ms Kostovski died of multiple severe injuries. Toxicology results showed Ms Kostovski was under the influence of alcohol, methylamphetamine and amphetamine as well as an antidepressant medication, sertraline. The Coroner concluded there was strong evidence that Ms Kostovski had formed an intention to take her life at the time she deliberately crashed her car head on into another vehicle.
The Coroner was satisfied that the police officer’s actions in the attempt to intercept Ms Kostovski did not cause or contribute to her death.
The Coroner made a recommendation aimed at the WA Police Force giving consideration to offering increased number of training courses in the use of tyre deflation devices and access to these devices, especially in regional police stations throughout Western Australia.
Catch Words : Tyre Deflation Devices : Stingers : Emergency Driving Training : Emergency Driving Policy : Drug Use : Police Intercept : Suicide
Last updated: 30-Nov-2020
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